Connect Relate Motivate, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 3 Adjust your personal programming

One of the most important communication skills you can develop is the ability to help others see more in themselves than they thought was possible. This should certainly be a goal for any leader. Leaders, whether of family, business, church, school or community, have a common goal of guiding people towards better outcomes. One of the main ways they do this is by helping them to see and achieve the very best version of themselves.

I grew up quite poor, both financially and in terms of a good male role model at home, but I was very fortunate to connect with some outstanding teachers, especially in high school. I also made sports teams that had great coaches. The only things I enjoyed during my primary school years were morning recess, the lunch break and afternoon recess. This was when I could engage in my main passion, which was playing sport with my classmates — footy and soccer in the winter, cricket and ‘down ball’ in the summer. From this daily ritual I developed good hand–eye coordination and general ball skills, which sadly was never rated on my report cards but was always at the top of mine.

Being small in stature meant I had more pace than many of my heavier opponents. I could run pretty fast and, given my lack of size, soccer, where pace was an advantage and a lack of physical weight was no hindrance, seemed to be a better option than Australian Rules. Junior soccer games were among my happiest childhood memories, not just ...