I was playing only my fourth and fifth rounds of the year on a golfing trip to Majorca, yet somehow won the tour by playing to my handicap. It still puzzles me: in almost every other area of life, I expect improvement to come from regular practice, while with golf I seem to become more consistent the less I play. Could progress sometimes depend less on doing more and more on having the right system in place?
Podcast: Promoted Because You Were Good: Eradicating Bad Management with Mark Stanton
In this episode of Progress in Practice, I’m joined by Mark Stanton, co-founder of Develop People, a leadership and personal development practice helping technically excellent individuals become effective leaders. Mark shares his experience from nearly three decades in policing, where he led large teams and now helps organisations uncover hidden capabilities through leadership. We delve into DISC profiling, emotional intelligence, and how AI serves as a tool, not a threat, in leadership development.
This episode is a practical exploration of building high-performing teams and why the real blockers often lie closer to home. If you’re seeking to sharpen your team’s dynamics or your own leadership skills, this conversation will challenge and inspire.
Reading: EOS Life
EOS Life by Gino Wickman is a continuation of the Traction series, focusing on the life system received in implementing EOS in a business. I run all my businesses using this system, resulting in predictable outcomes and more leisure time. If you’ve read Traction, this is a perfect next step. For those new to the series, it’s worth delving into Traction first.
The book explores the holistic benefits of embedding EOS in your business- going beyond profitability to enhance your life quality. It’s a vital read for any entrepreneur looking to align their work-life balance with business growth.
Watching: Slow Horses
Slow Horses has captivated me with its unique blend of intrigue and comedy, grounded with exceptional casting. It’s the kind of engaging entertainment that keeps me coming back, a rarity for me when it comes to modern TV series. The witty banter and layered storytelling set this show apart, making it a refreshing watch.
Gary Oldman’s performance as the abrasive yet endearing Jackson Lamb adds depth and charisma to the series, pulling audiences into the complex world of British intelligence. Whether you appreciate dry British humour or thrilling narratives, this show delivers on multiple fronts.
TED: Dan Pallotta: The way we think about charity is dead wrong.
Rethinking scale, impact, and bold thinking in mission-driven work.
Dan Pallotta’s talk challenged an assumption I hadn’t realised I was carrying. We tend to judge charities by how little they spend on overheads, as though frugality were a measure of virtue, yet we would never judge a business that way. If a company invested heavily in great people, bold marketing and long-term growth, we’d call it ambitious. When a charity does the same, we call it wasteful. Pallotta argues that this double standard keeps good causes small, and that we should reward charities for the size of their goals and what they actually achieve, even when that comes at a cost. As a business owner, I found it a useful reminder that real impact rarely comes from playing it safe. Whether you’re running a practice or a cause, the question worth asking isn’t “how little can we spend?” but “how much good can we do?”
Tech: Whispr Flow
Whispr Flow has been transforming the way I interact with tech by turning natural speech into send-ready text across any app in real time. It’s a game-changer, allowing for much faster communication than typing ever could. As someone who often juggles multiple projects, this tool helps streamline my workflow by reducing the time spent on manual input.
With Whispr Flow, I can maintain a natural conversational tone while dictating, which improves both the clarity and speed of my communication in messages and documents.
Inspiring Quote – “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
Trusted Team: The Limitless Year Launchpad
https://thetrusted.team/upcoming/the-limitless-year-launchpad/
Reflecting on the unpredictable consistency of my golfing weekend ties nicely into the theme we’re exploring in our next event: systems over goals. This coming November, we’re focusing on how to avoid aimlessly wandering into a new year with only goals in mind, but without a system to back them up.
Join us for The Limitless Year Launchpad, our exclusive one-day workshop where I’ll guide you through the processes I use in my own business and with clients to establish effective, actionable systems. This session goes beyond mere goal setting, it’s about implementing a comprehensive plan that aligns daily actions with your most ambitious targets for 2027.
Open to both Trusted Team members and a limited number of guests, this event is your chance to experience our strategic approach firsthand- setting a framework that ensures goals don’t just remain aspirations but become realities. Leave with your objectives clearly set, evaluated for current positioning, and broken into actionable steps that pave the way for a prosperous year ahead.
Understanding why I play better golf with less practice remains an elusive mystery. Yet, as baffling as it is, it reminds me that sometimes stepping back and reassessing the fundamentals can lead to unexpected breakthroughs. Until next time, may your ventures be as surprisingly consistent as a well-paced round of golf.
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