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The official magazine of Proteus Enterprises P/L edition 4 2026 from my window By Des Penny Getting Stuff Done, But Only The Right Stuff By Richard Dore curiosity is the new superpower By AIMMEThe 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. A I M M E rtificial ntelligence arketing agazine xpert AIMME is our AI-powered Marketing and Magazine Expert and newest member of the Proteuslife team. Blending advanced technology with a human lens, she brings fresh thinking, timely insights, and practical leadership ideas to every edition. From culture and change to performance and innovation, AIMME helps us explore what matters most in today’s leadership landscape, supporting our mission to create great leaders. 2 proteuslife Subscribe to Proteuslife MagazineDes Penny Every minute we spend complaining about what's happening is a minute we take away from making things better. Hi everyone, Welcome to our final edition of ProteusLife for 2026! What a year it has been! As we approach Christmas, I think it's important to take a moment to reflect on the year we've had, the challenges we've faced and the opportunities that lie ahead. In my article, "From My Window" (page 6), I share some personal reflections inspired by a recent trip to Queenstown, New Zealand. Sometimes we need to stop, look at the bigger picture and remind ourselves that while we can't control everything happening around us, we can certainly control how we respond. Looking after ourselves, finding balance and turning hope into action are more important than ever. Richard Dore also challenges our thinking in "Getting Stuff Done, But Only The Right Stuff" (page 10). We all seem to be getting busier, but are we actually achieving the things that matter? It's a great reminder that being effective is far more important than simply being busy. As we look towards the new year, make sure you check out our 2027 Professional Development Schedule (page 18). There are some fantastic opportunities to invest in yourself and your people, because great leadership doesn't happen by accident. Of course, there's plenty more to enjoy throughout this edition, including some wonderful Christmas recipes and cocktails (page 46) to get you into the festive spirit, and Joe Stuart's popular Gadgets for Geeks (page 50) for those looking for a little Christmas gift inspiration. Finally, I want to thank everyone who has supported Proteus Leadership throughout 2026. We never take that support for granted. From my family and the entire Proteus team, I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful 2027. Remember, take time to enjoy the people around you. They're what really matters. Please enjoy! Des Penny - Editor editor's 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 Penny A Time to Reflect, Recharge and Look Ahead! 3 proteuslife3 Editorial 6 From My Window By Des Penny 10 Getting Stuff Done, But Only The Right Stuff By Richard Dore 14 Curiosity Is The New Leadership Superpower By AIMME 18 2027 Professional Development Schedule 20 The Rise Of The Human & AI Team By AIMME 24 Design Your Own Program (DYOP) 26 Your Next Great Employee May Already Work For You By AIMME Contents Curiosity Is the New Leadership Superpower By AIMME 14 06 From My Window By Des Penny 4 proteuslife29 Funny Signs - Christmas Edition 30 The New Competitive Advantage: People Who Learn Fast By AIMME 34 Proteus Events 36 Small Experiments. Big Possibilities. By AIMME 40 Don't Just Take Our Word For It... Take Theirs 41 Proteus Productions 42 Leadership In The Age Of Reinvention By AIMME 46 Christmas Recipes & Cocktails 50 Gadgets For Geeks By Joe Stuart 52 Book Review By Richard Dore 54 Merry Christmas From The Proteus Team Leadership In The Age Of Reinvention By AIMME 42 Getting Stuff Done, But Only The Right Stuff By Richard Dore 10 Small Experiments. Big Possibilities. By AIMME 36 5 proteuslifeR ecently I decided to take a one-week break to beautiful Queenstown in New Zealand. One of my favourite places on earth. On the third morning I was sitting in my hotel room, all warm and snug. It was 1 degree outside, and the snow- covered alps were in clear sight, although the snow was starting to melt after five days of picture-perfect weather. The day before I had caught a small plane and flew across the snow- covered mountains to picturesque Milford Sound, where I was reminded once again just how beautiful this place, and nature, really is. This flight was massive for me as I am not a good passenger in 12-seater planes. As we flew in and out of the mountains it felt like I could almost reach out and touch the snow-covered peaks. It was so beautiful, I felt that child- like excitement rising up inside of me and my fear of small planes just disappeared for a moment. The next morning, I was back in my hotel room reflecting on the previous day and what other great adventures I could participate in, and then in the midst of this beauty, that I was observing from my hotel room, I suddenly let my mind slip back into the nest of problems waiting for me back at home. Problems that had been pulling me down for months and the very reason I was taking this short break. For one moment I let myself escape from reality to see the beauty around me and dream of what life could be like, but then I allowed myself to be transported back into reality. Now there is nothing wrong with that, but what I needed to discover was how I could change the balance, so that I go to that place of beauty more often and not that place of stress and concern. And why this was such an important moment for me, is that while I was there, I was writing content for a new training program on self-care, that I would be launching when I returned home, and I was hoping to find some real insight into the program. I didn’t really know why, but as I began to dwell on what was 6 proteuslifehappening in life, I realised that my concerns and fears were all about other people and not myself. I was so concerned about how certain people were coping and how certain individuals would get through the situations they found themselves in. My brain was running at full speed and to be frank, I was exhausted! It actually challenged me to ask myself the question; “why do I worry so much about everyone else’s life and how they will cope”, especially when I am trying to make certain decisions for my own life? Why am I always prepared to sacrifice everything, including my health, just so that they will be, OK? Because there are real and personal ramifications in doing this. Yes, I do care for others and I always will. It is a part of my DNA. But sometimes it is not in equal proportion to the care I should be giving myself. That is no-one else’s fault – it is all mine, which means that finding and actioning the solution, is also mine. The realisation I had was that it was time now to care about myself as much as I care about others. They are adults. They will survive and prosper – it is time to let them go! Their stress cannot become my stress also, otherwise we will all fold under the pressure, and that is no help to anyone. Our duty of care must now focus on our own survival and wellbeing and find a place of balance. The paradox is - that when we do this, we are actually of more use to others because our advice and our care is coming from a more balanced place. YES, you will upset people when you make this change - but at the end of the day they have their own interests at heart, and so must you. 7 proteuslifeI can hear people saying right now; that is so selfish. No, it is quite the opposite. People need to learn to manage their own lives. They don’t need you to fix everything. Otherwise they become dependent! Growth comes from finding a way through adversity. As I said, destroying yourself to maintain the comfort of others is of no benefit to anyone. Let them go! Let them play like adults and take responsibility for their own words and actions, otherwise the only person who will suffer is you and then you are no good to anyone. Sure, be there as a support - but not as the bearer of their burdens. Let them learn and grow! Suddenly, in this hotel room in Queenstown, New Zealand, I knew what I had to do. Everything became so clear to me! It was like the snow covering my mind had melted to reveal the rock that was underneath, exposing what I was dealing with, and showing me what I now needed to do. Without a word of a lie, just as I had this personal revelation, light snow started to fall and those black spots and harsh edges on the mountain in front of me, once again were being covered with heaven’s beauty. Coincidence or not, it spoke to me very clearly. I had to stop trying to fix everyone else’s situations and manage my own. What a relief. We should never stop caring, but we need to get the balance right. Then we will be far more effective to both ourselves and others. So, what were the lessons learned in Queenstown? 1. Sometimes the seasonal snow has to melt to show the reality of a situation. It will snow again, and it will be beautiful again. But we need to be reminded about what’s really happening, so that we can manage it and make the good times even better. 2. Never care so much about others that you forget to care about yourself. Remember, everyone has their own interests at heart, so don’t be disappointed when they respond, or don’t respond, in a way you were not expecting. Remember, your interests are important too! Things will change when you stop just thinking about others and act for the greater good! 3. Sometimes we just need to take time out, often to let our minds run free without the constant weight on our shoulders of other people and their demands. 4. If you only focus on the NOW, then you will not move forward. We need the balance of maintaining and innovating at the same time, otherwise we lose hope and we block long-term positive change. 5. Make the decisions you need to make. Because if you delay making them the inevitable will happen and you will extend your pain. 6. One step at a time will bring clarity to your situation. You can’t do everything, nor please everyone. Break things down. Take one step at a time. Fix one issue at a time. Live in the moment and celebrate one event at a time. I have always been a person who wants to bring HOPE to a situation, and I speak about having HOPE all the time. But I read a quote recently that said: Hope is not a strategy. Initially I thought – I don’t like that quote but the more I thought about it I realised that it was so true. Without action, Hope is not a strategy – but it is a great place to start. We all need Hope – something to look forward to. But for HOPE to be realised it requires that we combine it with taking risks and stepping out. Because at the end of the day Hope is just a group of positive thoughts and beliefs that are built on our inner feelings. But they are feelings that will continue to lay dormant unless we act and make them happen. Right now, the world has gone crazy. It is almost like we are floating in our individual bubbles, not knowing where we are going, who or what to believe, or what the future might hold for us and our loved ones. The problem is - that it is so easy to stay in the bubble and just go where the winds of change take us, even if we don’t want to go there. Well, that is not good enough for me. I want to pop that bubble and take back the controls of my own life, my business and my family and stop making all of my decisions based on the needs of others, especially when they have absolutely no emotional connection to who I am, what I believe, or what I want. Yes, I am hopeful that as we move forward, we move into something better, but that will never happen unless we have Hope with action, pop our bubbles, look after ourselves, and find real balance. Des Penny Founder / Director of Marketing & Innovation Proteus Leadership 8 proteuslifeDes Penny If you're looking for a podcast that will help you become a better leader and grow your business, we highly recommend Let's Go - Let's Grow with Des Penny. So, why not give them a listen today and subscribe by clicking on the QR Code above? Last podcast: We Are NOT Powerless Unless We Choose to Be! Subscribe now Founder / Director of Marketing & Innovation Proteus Leadership 9 proteuslifeNext >