Face it – you’re weird!

We generally like to think of ourselves as broadly ‘normal’ and life is mostly lived by most people within the boundaries of what is accepted as ‘normal’ behaviour.

The fact is though that you are unique! There is no-one else on the planet who thinks, reasons, feels and acts quite like you do. You’re weird…well as least in the sense that you are different to everyone else.

This is the reason why clever techniques and coldly-applied ‘principles’ don’t cut it when it comes to people, and people are what makes the world work – whether its your colleagues, your customers, your friends or your family.

I’ve been married for 7 and a half years and I still haven’t got my wife figured out! She’s weird! And guess what? I’m weird too! We are constantly discovering new ways in which we are different. We are blessed with 3 wonderful kids, but I am amazed at how 3 small people with the same genetic heritage can have such incredibly diverse personalities, skills and interests.

Its takes time and effort, good listening, understanding and appreciation to make relationships work. Without this, its so easy for things to go wrong…and whether its in a work, home or social context, when relationships break down, everything and everybody suffers.

One of the things I’m learning to enjoy and appreciate more and more is how different people are – how each one of us brings something unique to the table and, if understood and appreciated, this can make for incredibly powerful teamwork and hugely enriched lives.

Just don’t expect everyone to see things like you do – you’re weird!

The Fabio Factor and Maradona’s magic!

Apologies if you’re not at all into the football, this post may not be for you!

The world cup raises so many interesting and significant questions around the issue of leadership. Who are the great leaders, both on the pitch and in the management? Why do great players underperform? Why do some teams with average players over perform?

Of course there are no simple answers, but leadership plays a massive role.

Fabio Capello was meant to be England’s great leader – cool, calm and collected, tactically supreme and with the authority to instil discipline in those overpaid superstars and get them, finally, to reproduce their club form for the national team. Somewhere it went badly wrong, and the strong suggestions are that there is serious discontent within the camp. Leadership is meant to galvanise the individual parts to perform together to achieve a common goal. For England, this has simply not happened…again!

Contrast this with Argentina – similarly blessed with a wealth of talented superstars (maybe that’s flattering Lampard & Co a little!) but unlike England, playing their socks off and managing to find a system that accommodates the flair that they possess without stifling. Something clear is that they are loving their manager, Maradona (have you seen the hugs he gets from them when he substitutes them?!), and are giving their all to achieve team success.

Maradona’s previous club management record was 23 games – won 3! There have been some very shaky times in his time as national coach, but on the big occasion (so far) he has got it right – he has the respect of this players and fashioned a fantastic team spirit…AND has got them doing what they’re good at.

Reams more will be written on all these issues – for now, suffice to say, GETTING LEADERSHIP RIGHT MAKES THE WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!