Niki Seberini interviews Louise Mowbray on Chai FM part 2
31/01/2012 Leave a Comment
Niki Seberini interviews Louise Mowbray on Chai…, posted with vodpod
ITV1 Tonight Programme and Big Fish
30/09/2011 Leave a Comment
I was on the Tonight Programme on ITV1 on the 2nd September – if you haven’t yet seen it, you can watch it here… ITV1 – Tonight Programme – The Working Life – how to get a job with James Caan. It speaks into the turmoil in the markets with ordinary people struggling to find work and how they might be unwittingly limiting themselves and how to overcome any of these factors.
Yesterday I delivered the third in a series of lectures for Big Fish, the digital filmmaking school in South Africa. Such an eye-opener for me to experience at first hand the commonalities between the young English graduate I coached for the Tonight Programme and the students of Big Fish – many of whom are about to go into the real world of work in South Africa.
What they all have in common is a good, albeit theoretical understanding of what’s out there, which I put down to digital media. Saying this even with the ability to research everything online, very few had a real savvy sense of what it means to live their values, how to build their personal brands and to get on in the world of work. And even fewer had a real connection to taking full responsibility for consciously causing the effects they want to see in their lives. Fortunately coaching and lectures work… students are keen to take everything on board and we are in the process of co-creating a new and ‘switched-on’ way forward.
And the differences are as ever all cultural… here in South Africa I really believe we need to go some way in supporting young women to not only study, but to build their own careers before falling into the trap of ‘becoming a woman’ by having babies from get-go.
Note: Big Fish is NGO run by Dr Melanie Chait and is doing great work – let me know if you would like to support what they are up to and I will put you in touch.
Passion & curiosity in business
12/09/2011 Leave a Comment
Passion – it’s the stuff of flow. When work doesn’t feel like work. When time contracts or expands. Opportunities open up and so do our minds, souls and beings. And our being drives our doing. Lovely stuff. How many people do you personally know who are living their passions? Good Q – are you?
I am currently reading The Passion Test by Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood. At first the title grabbed me, then the logic stepped in. “Not another self-help book”. Saying that I bought the book and took the test. Wow! Finally something that speaks into being in action of my passion rather than my goals. Passion is sustainable, it’s authentic – we can do it without effort. The truth is that we all crave to live in passion and all else is a poor substitute.
And what if we held real, deep Curiosity as the context of our enquiry? Active listening, insightful questioning, empathy and the ability to have difficult conversations. Good old fashioned relationship building. If we can hold this context we develop our ability for real human compassion, connection and intimacy at levels that serve us and them. And yes this applies to business.
When we examine all the research – powerful, concrete, quality research – we know that what feels right – living with curiosity as the context and passion as the driver, we too can be as successful in our chosen paths as those who are leaders in their fields. It just takes a little curiosity to get the ball rolling and a real determination to live in passion…
What kind of brand are you?
15/08/2011 Leave a Comment
When we apply the word brand to people we should really be asking for a clearer definition. At the heart of building people brands, we use the same principles. Those of self-awareness, understanding our strengths, really getting how we are perceived, making conscious decisions about how best to deliver what it is that makes us successful… and strategic choices about how we put it out there.
Depending on your purpose, the outcomes you are committed to and the role you are in – or want to be in, the really smart stuff is all about consciously causing the effects you want to experience.
The art is being in action of all of this, whether you are in sales and are looking for better client impact, relationships and the ability to have those difficult conversations that are part and parcel of the territory. And the resulting rise in revenues – afterall, this is how you are ultimately measured.
Or perhaps you are an entrepreneur, a business owner where you clearly are the brand and your bottom line is a direct result of whether people buy into you? Executives and Leaders may need to focus on both their internal and external impact… And political and celebrity figures, probably the most public of all brands, have a whole array of specific and critical issues to deal with.
People brands – well, let’s face it, we all have one, need to be managed effectively to produce the outcomes we desire…
Leadership brand is more than a buzz word
31/07/2011 1 Comment
According to John Baldoni in his article by the same title in the Washington Post where he argues the case for nurturing your brand. “Another word that those of us in the leadership development community use for reputation is brand… Savvy executives know that brand is more than a product or service; it is the sum of how and why you connect with consumers and what they think of you.
The same applies to leaders. So when building a reputation or brand, it really is a practice of considering how your actions affect others. Leaders are judged by their accomplishments, but those achievements only occur when others believe in the leader. As with follower-ship, a successful leader’s brand relies upon reciprocity. How that brand is nurtured is important…” It’s worth a read.
smartLab event 5 July 2011
29/06/2011 Leave a Comment
I will be speaking at the next smartLab event on Tuesday the 5th July in Johannesburg – if you are in town, why not join us for a lively, informative evening?
The topic is building a powerful Conscious Leadership Brand.
Host: smartRevolution
Date: 5 July 2011
Time: 6:00pm for 6:30pm
Venue: 20 Ashford Road, Parkwood 2193
Cost: R150 / smartRevolution Members free of charge
RSVP Essential: carmen@smartrevolution.org
Personal Leadership Brand Workshop
07/05/2011 Leave a Comment
Personal Leadership Brand Workshop 1 June 2011
Are you in a visible role – either as a leader within your organisation, a business owner or with clients and the broader market? If so, your personal leadership brand is what creates your reputation and either oils the wheels – or can stand in your way.
Join me and the most extraordinary like-minded people on the 1 June 2011 in Sandton, Johannesburg for a one-day workshop where you will learn how to create and develop your brand to create a powerful impact in business.
“Best workshop of this nature that I have attended – awesome!” Tracy Allen
This is for you if…
- You are a leader at any level within your organisation
- Are a business owner or entrepreneur
- You are in a client/external facing role
- Are going through change or transition in your career
Book now…
Places are limited so do book now if this is for you. Click on this link for full workshop details and to secure your place.
What’s on the agenda?
You can expect to understand what personal leadership brand is and learn how to develop and manage your brand to create a powerful impact in business. Mowbray by Design”s step-by-step methodology will take you through a process of self-discovery, awareness and practical application.
Previous delegates say :-)
”Brilliant, very refreshing… inspirational and motivating.” Frank Brand
“Very relevant, loved it, thank you!” Michelle Sinovich
“Compelling… clear guidance in brand building.” Alicia Kiztan
“Very professionally put together – Louise’s content is powerful, relevant and very well delivered.” Brad Shorkend
”Innovative and refreshing – great new insights.” Megan Hudson
“Loved the questioning informality and open insight. It met an unanticipated need of the moment.” Helmut von Schweitzer
