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The official magazine of Proteus Enterprises P/L Where Growth & Learning Happens By Richard Dore 6 strategies for self-motivation By Mark Sanborn reigniting the dream By Des Penny proteus edition 1 2024The Proteuslife Team Editor: Des Penny Production: Leanne Keillor Advertising: Joe Stuart Design: Javier Marmol For all enquiries: 1300 219 903 ABN: 30 092 276 358 proteusleadership.com An Important Message SUBSCRIBE Proteuslife welcomes editorial submissions from a diverse range of people and industries. The information printed is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as professional advice without first checking with appropriate legal or industrial experts. We do not necessarily endorse the views, statements, claims, strategies or ideas put forward by contributors of the magazine. Proteuslife is merely relaying experiences and information. Proteuslife is not liable for any personal or professional loss you may have incurred as a result of reading this magazine. No material may be reproduced in part or whole without written consent from the editor. Advertisements in Proteuslife will be accepted only if they meet all relevant laws and will not give rise to any legal claims or liability and they reflect the culture and purpose of the magazine. proteus The official magazine of Proteus Enterprises P/L John C. Maxwell Remember: Sometimes we win and sometimes we learn. 2 proteuslife Subscribe to Proteuslife MagazineHi everyone, welcome to a brand-new year - 2024. A year I have dedicated to real growth, both within the Proteus business, but also personally. Often, we tend to just blindly follow what people are telling us, rather than seeking out the real possibilities that are hiding deep within their negativity. In fact, the most substantial growth that occurs in our businesses and in our personal lives is when we buck the system and get creative and brave in seemingly difficult times. So, this edition of Proteuslife is all about Growth, Hope and Personal Development, all things we need in our lives to be successful. Richard Dore – CEO - Proteus Leadership, kicks off our year with his inspirational article ‘Where Growth & Learning Happen’. Richard has also just celebrated 25 years with Proteus and so we congratulate him and celebrate this amazing milestone. In this edition we also share information about the new format being introduced this year to how we conduct our programs, ensuring that the information and new skills people gain, have a greater chance of being cemented into their lives as they endeavour to lead. We also introduce you to the amazing leadership program – The Complete Leader, and again celebrate this new and fresh multi-dimensional approach to leadership. Along with Proteus news and events, and a range of amazing articles, we also share some of the most delicious recipes from the famous Beerenberg Family farm in South Australia. Make sure you check them out and give them a try at home. They really are delicious! So, welcome to a new year of growth and I trust that this edition of Proteuslife will deliver some leadership gems for you. PS. check out page 50 and make this dedication of positivity with me. Des Penny - Editor editor's 2024 A Year of Growth Des Penny Every minute we spend complaining about what's happening is a minute we take away from making things better. 3 proteuslife proteusleadership.com/linkedin/des proteusleadership.com/lets-go-lets- grow-podcast-with-des-penny/ proteusleadership.com/des-penny-blog Connect with Des! Let's Go - Let's Grow podcast with Des Penny06 Where Growth & Learning Happens By Richard Dore 20 Followership By Richard Dore 3 Editorial 6 Where Growth & Learning Happens By Richard Dore 9 Happy 25 th Anniversary - Richard Dore 10 Reigniting The Dream By Des Penny 12 The Great Skate 13 Systems = Sanity By Sue Hirst 14 The Complete Leader 2024 16 6 Strategies For Self Motivation By Mark Sanborn 18 2024 Professional Development Schedule 20 Followership By Richard Dore contents 4 proteuslife10 Reigniting The Dream By Des Penny 42 The Psychology Of Change Management By Daniel Lock 22 New 6-Session Leadership Programs 24 To Build Your Business, Focus On These 5 Areas By Sue Hirst 26 Proteus Events 28 Why Monotasking Is The New Black By Dr. Jenny Brockis 30 Educator Training Day 32 6 Ways To Ensure Your Criticism Is Constructive By Dr. Alan Zimmerman 34 The Art Of Leading & Managing Up By Des Penny 36 Food From The Beerenberg Family 40 What Our Clients Are Saying 42 The Psychology Of Change Management By Daniel Lock 46 How To Invest In Your Leadership Development By Dr. Alan Zimmerman 48 Book Review By Richard Dore 50 Today I Will By Des Penny 5 proteuslife6 proteuslifeA fter twenty-five years of running a leadership training company with Founder Des Penny, all whilst studying and observing the best workplaces, people, teams and leaders that inspire me, I discovered that they all have one thing in common… They all have an amazing appetite for learning and development, with a willingness to embrace short-term discomfort for the benefit of future growth. As Canadian author Robin Sharma boldly states, ‘You are not just paid to work. You are paid to be uncomfortable’. In fact, the essential theme from all great thought leaders around the world is that the best investment you can make is a commitment to life-long learning. Sharma goes on to implore people to continually invest in their own self- development and prioritise ‘Education over Entertainment’. Whether I’m doing one-on-one coaching or facilitating leadership programs, there is one ultimate self-development goal that we all aspire to obtain and that is to be the most authentic version of ourselves. However, in order to obtain this ultimate life goal of personal transformation, we need to grow and learn. That can only happen if you embrace the mantra, “be comfortable, being uncomfortable” a mantra we live by at Proteus. It isn’t easy embracing uncomfortability but as P.T Barnum said “comfort is the enemy of progress”. It is only through being comfortable with being uncomfortable, can you truly obtain personal or professional transformation. Traditionally, after leaving school, you obtained a trade apprenticeship or a qualification and then had a job for life! Growth and learning were an optional bonus. However now, in our super- charged disruptive world, constant personal and professional growth has become not only a necessity, but a critical requirement to avoid becoming obsolete! In today’s environment, we’re now required to continually step outside our comfort zone and become ‘first timers’, simply to keep up with all the changes that are happening around us. However for most people, this doesn’t come naturally. In fact, US Professor, author, and vulnerability guru Brené Brown in her ‘FFTs podcast’ (effing first times), confirms through her research that as adults, we typically avoid and shy away from trying new things. This is simply because we don't want to experience the embarrassment of making mistakes, looking incompetent and being vulnerable. Brené Brown goes on to say, I can tell you if the definition of vulnerability is uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure, then being new at something is the epitome of vulnerability. So, the big question is, how do we embrace vulnerability and discomfort while we learn? I would contend that we do this by understanding where growth happens and by embracing a mindset of play and a joy of learning, that encourages us to be constantly stepping out of our comfort zone. Where does genuine growth and learning happen? True growth can only happen when we leave the safety of our comfort zone and move into the learning zone. Here, we embrace the short-term pain of experiencing what educational experts describe as being ‘consciously incompetent’ – yikes! For the untrained mind, this is tough and often feels counter-intuitive. Why would I want to enter a new world of pain where there is no fun and enjoyment? The great thing about being in the Growth Zone (AKA the Learning Zone) however, is there is an opportunity to create a psychological state where we seek out and look forward to engaging in activities that challenge our existing skills and knowledge. This is the zone where true learning and self-development occurs. This is because we are prepared to push ourselves beyond our familiar boundaries, take on new challenges and acquire new skills. Sure, this zone involves a level of discomfort, but it is essential for personal and professional growth. Beware of the Anxiety Zone As lead educators and coaches at Proteus Leadership, our goal is not only to affirm people’s current skill sets, but to challenge them to stretch and grow to the next level. All within an environment where we don’t terrify them in the process! We focus on creating this safe environment because we are asking people to let go of the familiar and start practicing new thinking, skills and behavioural change for the first time. If this is done poorly, it will cause anxiety and ironically, people will regress rather than grow. Unfortunately, this Anxiety Zone is where most traditional workplaces and leaders find themselves. A classic example of this is when someone is promoted into a new leadership role (which requires a completely new set of people skills in itself). People proceed to just assume that these new leadership skills will ‘fall from heaven’! New leaders are just expected to ‘wing it’ and make it up as they go! In a world of change, the learners shall inherit the earth, while the learned shall find themselves perfectly suited for a world that no longer exists. - Eric Hoffer 7 proteuslifeleads to stagnation, a sense of boredom and is a fast-track to becoming obsolete. So, let’s avoid staying in our comfort zones for too long and becoming redundant. Let’s not move into the Anxiety Zone where this poor learning approach only induces stress and hinders progress. Remember, in our rapidly changing world, the concept that "the learners shall inherit the earth" holds true. Always be hungry to learn and grow! The key is getting comfortable with discomfort and embracing new learning zones, where we willingly face short- term challenges to acquire new skills. At Proteus, we prefer to focus on transforming the narrative, turning the learning zone into safe exploration, a place of fun, joy and experimentation. So, embrace the journey of constant learning, discard fear, and become the best version of yourself in this fast-paced world. As we continue to play, learn new skills and ways of thinking in a rapidly changing environment, we inoculate ourselves from becoming irrelevant. Richard Dore CEO - Director Of Partnerships Proteus Leadership This common scenario immediately puts them into the ‘The Anxiety Zone’ where they feel threatened and experience high levels of stress. There are two classic scenarios that require new leadership growth; public speaking and having poor performance conversations. Both scenarios typically fill people with dread and anxiety and they usually become paralysed by fear and freeze. As a result, people try to avoid being put into these scenarios at all cost. This is simply not conducive to effective learning and will hinder all future performance and growth. The key to transforming the negative effects of the Anxiety Zone is to change our narrative and approach. Rather than seeing the learning and growth stage as one filled with anxiety, we need to see it as a chance to play and explore before we are required to adopt these new skills and apply them in the real world. When you give people the opportunity to play, practice, learn and laugh, as they bumble their way through various scenarios within a safe learning environment and without fear of judgement, something magical happens. This is where you witness transformation from being scared into being confident. Why? Because confidence is simply displayed skills being put into practice. 80/20 Rule for Play and Growth Another great way to play in the Growth Zone is to adopt the ‘80/20 rule’. This is where you allow yourself to spend eighty percent of your time in the Safety Zone and twenty percent in the Growth Zone where you ‘get to play and learn’. Here, you can tap into your mentors, coaches and trusted colleagues, all whilst observing and working on new projects. The benefit of adopting this ‘get to play and learn’ approach is two-fold. It prevents you from moving into the Anxiety Zone and it stops you from falling into the Redundant Zone. The Redundant Zone is where we stay in our ‘comfort zones’ for too long and we regress, rather than grow. This quickly The only skill that will be important in the 21 st century is the skill of learning new skills. Everything else will become obsolete over time. - Peter Drucker 8 proteuslife25 years is equivalent to 300 months, 1,304 weeks, 9,132 days, 219,168 hours and 13,150,080 minutes. What an incredible accomplishment. Richard joined Proteus Leadership in 1999 and has held the positions of Managing Director and Lead Educator, Co-CEO and then as of 1st July 2023, CEO and Director of Partnerships. He has made a tremendous contribution to Proteus Leadership’s growth and progress during those 25 years and continues to be recognised as one of the most effective Business and People Management Educators in Australia. Richard’s career spans more than 30 years in Leadership Development, Education and HR across a range of industries. He has several qualifications, including a Bachelor of Education and Training from the University of Melbourne, a Diploma of Business and a Diploma of Business (Human Resources) and has completed 50% of his Master of Business (E-Business and Communication) at Swinburne University of Technology. His facilitation style is engaging, fun, irreverent and driven by great stories. He is also passionate about partnering with organisations to bring about change and to demonstrate how complex issues can truly be transformed by applying practical solutions. Richard’s passion for bringing about positive change has continued to inspire the growth and ongoing development of Proteus Leadership. On 1 st February 2024, Richard Dore celebrated his 25 th anniversary at Proteus Leadership. 9 proteuslifeNext >