Think Polar Bear and chill!

I visited Chur"chill" recently - the Polar Bear capital of the world! 

In Churchill Polar Bears are so prolific, they often come into town, disrupting traffic, messing up rubbish bins and scaring tourists. So the Polar Bear Police set traps baited with seal oil. Once caught, bears go to Polar Bear Jail for a few weeks for some “time out”, then helicoptered to someone remote in the hope they’ve learnt their lesson.

We can learn many things from Churchill and Polar Bears. A standout for me was learning how bears react when trapped.  They just chill and nap!  Afterall, there’s no point fighting something they can't change. They go with the flow in the belief that everything will turn out fine.

Next time you or your team feel a bit trapped, rather than fight it, think “Polar Bear” and chill. Time to be calm, reflect, rest and build strength might result in better outcomes in the long run. 

If you’d like to learn more about Churchill and their Polar Bears this link will take you to a 13 min documentary that has won many global awards. You might see me in the sequel (filmed while I was there). https://lnkd.in/grapXm9D

And get in touch if you or your team would like to have a conversation about automatic responses to feeling trapped and whether those responses serve you well.

Disconnect – even if it’s fake!

A few weeks ago, I spent a few days at Knight Inlet. Where is that? It’s a lodge, built on a raft in sheltered area on the northeastern side of Vancouver Island B.C. Accessible by 4-hour boat trip, or float plane. I took the plane! The raft is necessary as there is no flat land and it keeps (almost) all the wildlife at bay. And tech at bay too – no cell phone coverage or internet.

A guide told a story of a big storm a few years ago leaving guests stranded on the raft for 48 hours. Given the circumstances, internet access was turned on (so they lied!!!!). Some guests rearranged travel plans, but most were glued to their phones watching Netflicks and scrolling social media. 

My time at the lodge was incredible and leaving technology behind for a few days wasn’t hard. I enjoyed focusing on wildlife, amazing scenery, and talking with fellow travelers.

There’s a lot to learn from Knight Inlet’s decision to turn off tech.

 I wonder what we would observe and who we would talk to if we had no-tech periods at work or at home?

If you or your team would like to discuss no-tech strategies, please get in touch. Or, you could just turn it off!

Building the capability of Aotearoa!

Great day yesterday attending my first HRNZ conference. I do most of my development virtually, so also a treat to be with real people for the day.

Main take outs: 

*Aotearoa's population profile is hyper-diverse, Auckland is the 4th most diverse city on the world (twice as diverse as New York & more than all Australian cities).

* We're experiencing reduced birth rates, increasing percentage of Maori & Pacifica, immigrants, and more older people. 

* People are living longer and not retiring. Some are "un-retiring".

* The young have grown up in a hyper-stimulated environment where everything is on demand and personalised, so they expect it.

Implications:

* Awareness of diversity (in all its forms).

* Flexibility, personalisation and tailored work, workplaces, and people development opportunities.

And that's exactly what I do! Everything I do is bespoke, tailored to you and your teams circumstances and environment. To find out more, please get in touch or visit www.growtobe.co.nz.