Jim Rees.
Executive Coach, Motivational Speaker and Author of 'Vicious Cycle'.
What do you do now?
I now know that the data has caught up with what a lot of coaches have been saying for the past 20 years, that the soft skills are more important than the hard skills. Emotional Intelligence is the key in high performance and organisations need to have a strategy to develop it within their leadership teams.
Where did your career start?
I started as a storeman in a pharmaceutical wholesale company in Australia at the ripe age of 15! Within 6 months I was promoted and in charge of 2 staff who were both older than me and it was a baptism of learning how to motivate people.
Has there been a stage in your life where you first appreciated what great leadership looked like?
I've had some really good examples of what great leadership looked like and have also unfortunately learnt from poor examples as well. Great leaders have a high self regard and a high regard for others, they are able to engage and inspire people to believe in themselves and their potential.
Do you have any examples of what you have done to develop yourself as a leader?
My biggest jump was when I became qualified in Emotional Intelligence and realised that you need to be fully present when you're interacting with others and have outstanding listening skills. Extensive reading and journaling regularly has also created more self awareness along with stretching myself off my own personal and professional comfort zones.
How do you think Leadership has benefitted you?
It's made me more conscious of the fingerprint I leave in every interaction I have with everyone I meet, even the subtle non verbal stuff has an impact. I think it's made me a better father and think about the legacy I want to leave behind. What fingerprint are you going to leave?
Website: The EI Guru - Jim Rees