Update 23 September2024.

The winter here was fairly mild in terms of weather. Scrap that, it was hot. The ski season was a limp rag and we missed out on two weeks on the slopes. Regardless, we still got some good time on the mountain.

Business-wise, the big news is that Olympus Bound won a SILVER MEDAL at the Readers Favorites Awards! Both full length novels have won awards now! I am chuffed. In the meantime, Olympus Rising, Book 3, is in round two of edits and I am aiming to have it out in the world by the end of November.

I have also started (real) work on Power Games. It is in the messy scrappy phase as I start to pull together my research and thinking for what is going to be most useful for you. I’ll also be running it as a Kickstarter - my first campaign!

The Leadership Conclave is also open for registrations with half the seats sold. I look forward to diving deep on strategy for 2025 with people.

And most importantly, I have had some amazing programs with clients: a one day culture workshop with Canopius in Sydney, a five day outdoor experiential program with Peter Cullen Trust and Outback Initiatives in Brisbane and the hinterland, and a half day advanced emotional intelligence workshop with Agrifutures in Wagga Wagga.

I look forward to more fun and games coming up through the spring.

Update 28 May 2024.

It’s been a full few months!

Let’s see, in March I ran a leadership program with the Peter Cullen Trust with Outback Initiatives, a powerful week of group interactions and leadership insights. Then Rob and I headed to Bali for ten days - he had a conference, and I buckled down on doing some writing for Book 3 in the Gaia series, Olympus Rising. The first draft deadline is June 15, so it’s getting close to the wire!

Then April was a fabulous two-week odyssey adventure with some friends on the Alpine Walking Track. It was 165km of HARD! Lots of elevation, long days, beautiful views. I LOVED it!

Then May has all been about the launch of Olympus Bound. The reviews have been great, and I am so grateful for readers who are enjoying the series as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

I also had a trip out to WA to do some more work with Outback Initiatives. Another week of fun outdoor activities cultivating the leadership resilience and abilities of visting professionals from Singapore.

Closer to home, I have been working with two organisations building their strategic leadership capabilities.

Coming up next: I’m revamping the podcast and doing something new from September. I’m also launching a new pilot program called Grace Under Fire - How to exercise personal power without losing your soul. It’s a precursor to my next nonfiction book, Power Games. If you are on my newsletter list, you will get an invitation to the pilot.

Update 27 February 2024.

The end of the year went by in a hectic blur of travel, and the new year started the same. And here we are!

1. Olympus Bound, sequel to The Olympus Project, is now up for pre-order here through my own store, and the ebook on Amazon. I am very excited for this book - it was a ton of fun to write and I do hope you will enjoy the follow up! Yes, it can be read as a stand alone novel.

2. My new event, the Leadership Conclave, is happening this week at the fabulous Cuppacumbalong, A day of connection, reflection, and deep thinking awaits. The next event is scheduled for November 1st.

3. I’m in the middle of planning a two week bushwalk (hike) with my buddies from Outward Bound. We are looking forward to 240+ km along the Australian Alpine Walking Trail in April. With five middle aged women with close to thirty years of friendship, much laughter will ensue.

4. I’m researching power and the future of leadership for my next non-fiction book, due sometime later this year, maybe. It’s kind of depressing to see how power plays out. I’m hoping to change some of that with this book.

Update 15 September 2023.

It’s all about THE BOOKS, baby!

1. The Olympus Project won a GOLD MEDAL at the Readers’ Favorite Awards 2023 in one of our categories: Fiction - Thriller - Environmental. Hooray!

   It’s very rewarding to have my first work of fiction recognised in this way. I loved writing it, and I am so glad people enjoy it. It;s such a great way of sharing leadership insights.

2. Terra Blanca - Insurrection is out! Woohoo! First five star reviews are streaming in too.

   I’s the prequel to The Olympus Project. Fast-paced intrigue.

   You can READ THE EBOOK OR LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK FOR FREE HERE.

   Or you can buy the paperback and get a personally signed copy.

3. Olympus Bound, the sequel to The Olympus Project, is with the editor and schedule for release on 1 April 2024. I’m working on the cover now.

Aside from books, it’s all about TRAVEL for the spring:

• Three trips to Western Australia to do work with Outback Initiatives and Kimberley Public Health Unit, Singapore Immigration, and Singapore Police respectively.

• A trip to lovely Orange to run a Risk and Resilience Workshop for NSW Department of Pirmary Industries.

• A trip to fabulous Mildura to do a strategic planning workshop for Princes Court Homes.

• A trip to Montreal Canada for my Dad’s 80th, and my brother’s 50th birthday.

Update 10 May 2023.

We’re sailing into the winter pretty quickly here. Frost and nippy mornings.

We said goodbye to our long standing Business Manager, Louise Dalglish Smith, this month. Louise has been with us for the last three plus years, through COVID craziness, and has helped me build my brand and presence as a leadership futurist. I wish Louise all the best with her future endeavours.

In the meantime, I am focused on delivering strategic thinking training and facilitation to pioneering big thinkers, which is so much fun!

I’ve also managed to have some amazing adventures out in the wilderness, doing experiential programs. I did one with Outback Initiatives for the Peter Cullen Trust Science to Policy Leadership Program, and one with Cuppacumbalong for the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation’s ACT & NSW Bushfire Recovery and Resilience Program.

BTW, if you’re looking for an amazing venue, try Cuppacumbalong just outside of Canberra. Beautiful location in an awesome homestead and cottage. Add me as your fabulous facilitator, and you have an exceptional offsite all lined up for you and your team.

What is also fun is the writing. Terra Blanca is on draft 2 and I will be sending it back for line edits shortly, then to the proofreader by 1 June. Olympus Bound is about a third way done, and is parked until I finish the TB re-write.

Update 1 March 2023.

It’s the first day of autumn here in Australia! I managed to have a great Christmas break in New jersey with family and then on to skiing in Japan where my knee injury came good.

Then I got COVID :(. It has taken five weeks to get over.

We ran our event, The Future of Leadership, and it was awesome! There is a lot of amazing things going on and as leaders we can capitalise on all that.

We have launched the Amplifiers™ Academy so leaders can get leadership development on demand, at their own pace, at a time that suits them.

Terra Blanca - the prequel to The Olympus Project, is with the editor. I am expecting a July release of it. Woohoo!

I am now plugging away at the sequel, Olympus Bound. It is so much fun! I am expecting it to be out by November of this year.

Update 4 December 2022.

We are sailing towards the end of the year and it’s a time to reflect, as well as look forward.

The last couple of months have been a delightful time to serve clients as we work on their strategy and culture.

In the meantime we have these milestones to celebrate:

1. The Olympus Project, my debut science fiction corporate thriller, became a #1 Amazon Best Seller! This has been an epic project and I am thrilled it has been so well-received. The reviews are pretty much all five star. Very exciting!

2. Terra Blanca. The prequel to The Olympus Project is nearly ready for the editor. This will be available soon as an ebook and free to those who sign up for my new e-journal, Bookish.

3. Contribution. It’s not something I mention often. My leadership practice has always been a vehicle for community support. We support charities including Smith Family and Menslink. This year we were able to contribute over $10,000 to Menslink in donations and pro bono services. I am very pleased we are able to contribute in helping young men become pro-social adults. It’s important work that will make a lasting impact on the community.

As the year comes to a close, I will share more on the blog. In the meantime, I wish you all the best for a healthy, restful, and rejuvenating holiday season!

Update 5 October 2022.

1.The novel! The Olympus Project has landed! Special Collector’s edition is available direct from our website here.

This has been an epic learning curve. I made the strategic decision to go “indie”, meaning that I will take full control for all artistic and production decisions. This means a lot more work, but a lot more fulfilment!

2. Injured. Again. I managed to get plenty of skiing in over the winter, which was terrific! Not so terrific was the knee injury on our second last day of the season. So I’m off running for a month or so. Chin up, pull socks up and all that!

3. Writing Terra Blanca. This is the prequel to The Olympus Project. I am currently wrestling with ideas and avoiding the actual writing. So no promises about when it will be ready. It’s currently marinating.

Update 6 July 2022.

1. The Novel! The Olympus Project is getting closer to being finished! The typeset manuscript is being reviewed a final time by the copy editor, and the audiobook is in production. We are developing a marketing campaign and launch for it. Details are here.

2. Revamped Amplifiers™. We are winding up our third year, and leaders are facing new challenges. As a result, we have re-shaped the program into a three year experience (you can do one year at a time). Year 1 is Amplifiers™ leadership Skills Training on Lead Change, Lead Strategy, Lead Performance, Lead Culture. It’s designed for maximum effectiveness and flexibility, based on contemporary adult learning principles. Check it out here.

3. I survived the Larapinta walk! It’s amazing how nervous I was about this trip. Would my body be up to it? Would my feet hurt too much? Would I be lonely going by myself in a group?

It turns out my body was up to it, but boy was it tough. The terrain is very hard: rocky, uneven, and plenty of elevation. By jingo it was spectacular though! Some of the most stunning country I have ever seen. Such a special place.

Also, my feet did hurt. A lot. Cue anti-inflammatories. But I did learn a hack that gave me some relief - stretching my hamstrings! The only thing that really worked.

The group was nice. I enjoyed everyone’s company and only missed Rob a little bit.

Here are some pics for you:

Update 24 March 2022.

1. The Novel! This project is taking much longer thanI thought. It’s with the editor, doing the second round of edits. We still need to do a copy edit, a typeset, a proofread, a book cover, set up the audiobook, distribution…this may take a few more months. It will be worth it (she says hopefully).

2. My Larapinta Walk - coming soon in June! Flights are booked, fingers are crossed.

3. Other walks - I’ve booked in some weekend adventures with friends. I look forward to some time in the tent, under the stars.

4. Running - I’ve signed up for another half marathon in May. The body is holding up ok so far.

5. Travel for work - This has started up again in full force! I’ve been to Newcastle, Cairns, Leeton, Wagga, Melbourne, and Merimbula so far this year. So good to be face to face with humans again.

6. Reading - Best fiction book I’ve read/listened to this year: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, followed by Margaret Atwood’s the Handmaid’s Tale. The classics are fabulous! Non fiction is definitely George Karseras, Build Better Teams. A well-worn handbook for me already.

7. The war in Ukraine - I am devastated by this. Humans, we can do better. We need better leaders for a better world. I’m doing what I can with what I’ve got to raise the level of wisdom and compassion in the world. I fear it’s not enough, not soon enough. I stand with Ukraine and the Russians who do not want to kill their fellow humans. May this insanity cease!

Update 22 December 2021.

1. The Novel! I finished it. Well, the very rough first draft anyway. It’s with the editor. I’m hoping to get it out early 2022.

2. Amplifiers™. We doubled the size of the group and developed self-paced online modules for each of the core skills: Lead Strategy, Lead Culture, Lead Change, Lead Performance and Lead Self. The program and the fabulous community is going from strength to strength.

3. My Larapinta Walk - got cancelled AGAIN. So now re-scheduled for June 2022. Third time lucky!

4. Next year’s books: the plan is to get the novel out, and get the Power book out. Work in traction for both of them, so all good.

5. Taking a break! Signing off for 2021 now and then chilling out - in the mountains then at the beach. Safe and healthy new year to all!

Update 18 May 2021.

1. I’m writing a novel.