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Most goal-setting advice starts with the goal. Keith Abraham starts with the feeling behind it.
At the time of recording, Keith had presented to more than 1.6 million people across 30 countries over a 23-year speaking career. He is a best-selling author whose books are published in 12 languages, and he has spent years asking one question: why do some people reach what seems unreachable while others stall?
His answer is the Goal Driver Formula. In this conversation with host Jane Anderson, Keith explains how it works, what the Goal Driver Profile reveals, and what his own career teaches about pricing, persistence and thinking bigger. If you run your own practice as a consultant, coach, speaker or trainer, there is a lot here you can use this week. If you would like to try the idea first, take the free GoalDriver Snapshot.
What Is the Goal Driver Formula?
The Goal Driver Formula (Keith styles the brand as GoalDriver) is Keith Abraham's emotion-based approach to achieving goals. It uses a short diagnostic, the Goal Driver Profile, to show what emotionally drives you. You then set goals around that driver and work on the roadblocks that slow you down. Its purpose, Keith says, is to help people reach their goals faster, easier and sooner.
Why Keith built it
Keith has always loved goal setting. Plenty of people talk about high performance and peak performance, but what fascinated him was acceleration. How do you move someone from point A to point B faster and with less friction?
That curiosity became nine years of research and four years of development. Keith worked with a psychometric specialist and an analysis specialist to turn the research into a diagnostic tool.
What the Goal Driver Profile delivers
The profile takes about five to six minutes to complete and covers five areas of your life. At the time of recording, the report ran to 46 pages, and Keith said it was about to be cut to 24. He describes the output as:
135 insights
36 key performance accelerators
24 performance tools
Inside the report, you will find:
The four fears slowing you down
Four things to stop doing and four things to start doing
The type of mentor you work with best
24 rituals across the physical, mental and emotional
How you like to contribute to an organisation and a team
What you really want from a role, career or business
Keith calls the result "an unfair competitive advantage over themselves". The idea is simple. Most of us get in our own way, and the profile helps you see how.
The Three Components of the Goal Driver Formula
Keith breaks the formula into three parts:
Identify what drives you. This is your emotional driver.
Define what you want to achieve. This is the goal itself.
Strengthen your determination. This means removing the roadblocks that slow you down.
1. Identify what drives you
The first step is naming the emotion that moves you. Keith says this emotional connection is what makes you connected, committed and compelled. That matters because worthwhile goals ask you to do the uncomfortable, the inconvenient and the unknown.
Without the emotional link, a goal is just a wish with a deadline.
2. Define what you want to achieve
This is the part most people already do. You decide what you want: a bigger practice, a new program, a different role. Keith has no quarrel with that. His point is that the goal alone is not enough. If you are not emotionally connected to it, you will not follow through when things get hard. That fits with long-running goal-setting research by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, which found that specific, challenging goals tend to lift performance more than vague or easy ones, and that commitment to the goal is a key condition. Their 2002 review in American Psychologist summarises 35 years of that evidence.
3. Strengthen your determination
Keith says that as soon as you set a goal, you will be tested. The universe, as he puts it, has a funny way of asking whether you are serious.
Strengthening your determination means removing what slows you down, personally and professionally. Often the roadblock is emotional. Keith lists the questions many of us ask ourselves: Am I worthy? Am I deserving? Am I capable? Am I good enough? Comparison can creep in too.
He cites Sir Edmund Hillary's idea that it is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. The profile is designed to help you get out of your own way.
The Eight Emotional Goal Drivers
Keith explains that an adult can experience 135 different emotions. Sixty-four of them are positive, and those 64 group into eight goal drivers. At the core, he says, people want to feel:
Successful
Purposeful
Inspired
Happy
In control
Respected
Confident
Relaxed
When you know which of these moves someone, you can help them set goals around it. Jane also highlighted profile types such as influencers, explorers, pathfinders, torchbearers, peacemakers, believers, achievers and planners. She liked that the profile shows how you think, including whether your thinking is more intrinsic or extrinsic, and where your fire in the belly comes from.
For the mindset side of goal setting, hear Mandy Napier on mindset for success on The Jane Anderson Show.
How the Goal Driver Profile Differs From Other Assessments
Keith expects the question: is this like DISC or Myers-Briggs? His answer is that those tools tell you where you are. The Goal Driver Profile does that too, he says, but it also gives you a pathway and a blueprint for reaching your goal. He calls it a prescription.
That is Keith's description of his own tool. The best way to judge it is to take the snapshot and see whether the insights fit you.
What the results look like in practice
At the time of recording, about 3,500 people had completed the full profile. Keith reported that feedback rated the results 89.3 per cent accurate. Treat that as Keith's reported user feedback, not independent validation.
He shared one reaction that stuck with him. A CEO of a billion-dollar Australian organisation asked whether Keith had been "following me around for the last 20 years". Keith also described a group of engineers who said the profile gave them insights into themselves they had never had.
Jane's takeaway was simple: when we have awareness, we have choice. For more on how people make those choices, listen to Samantha Rush on decision-making.
What Experts Can Learn From Keith Abraham's Career
The Goal Driver Formula grew out of a long career. The stories Keith tells along the way are some of the most practical parts of the conversation.
Your fee reflects how you see your worth
Keith started as a sales trainer at Suncorp. A friend asked him to run a one-day workshop at a sales conference for Conrad Jupiters, and the organisation wanted to pay him, which meant he had to write a proposal. It took him eight or nine hours, because he had never done one before.
The consultants at Suncorp charged $1,500 a day. Keith figured he was half as good, so he priced himself at $750. The director of sales then spent 90 minutes taking him through the proposal line by line. Keith says that has never happened since, even on million-dollar programs.
His first year on his own brought in about $110,000, more than he had earned at Suncorp. From there, his question each year was how to grow, add more value and increase his fee.
Later he reached a point where he felt he could not add more value, and he looked at the real issue. His belief is blunt: "your fee is in direct comparison to your level of self-esteem." If you do not feel worthy, deserving or capable, he says, you will lowball your fee.
He backs this with a story. A long-term client asked him to facilitate three days of a conference, with a keynote each day. Keith offered two options: $30,000 for that, or $350,000 for that plus a series of workshops around the country to embed the message. The client chose the $350,000 option.
At the conference, Keith sat beside the HR director while another provider presented a program. The last page of the document showed the price: about $1.2 million. Keith's reaction: "I'm just not thinking big enough." He calls it a gift, because it pushed him to think bigger, bolder, braver and better.
Back yourself, and put the result in writing
Keith described a UK client with a company of 15,000 people. They wanted a nine-month program for 60 senior leaders. He believed he could deliver four to five times return on investment, and he put that in the proposal.
The client pushed back gently. They did not want a guarantee because they already trusted him. Keith said he wanted them to know what he believed was possible. By his account, the program produced £11.6 million in additional revenue, roughly ten times what they paid him.
His lesson is to back yourself. A stated result tells the client you are focused on their outcome, not just your day rate.
Play the long game
Keith calls himself tenacious, and he says that is his real superpower. His best example is a client he met at an event. For 16 years, the answer was no. It was never a rude no. It was usually that they would use internal people.
Each time, Keith asked if it was okay to stay in touch. A couple of times a year he sent an email, a text, a client newsletter, an unconditional gift in the mail or a phone call. In the 16th year, the phone rang. They had a conference in Brisbane with about a thousand people and asked if he was available.
In the six years that followed, that relationship led to more than 40 conferences, product licensing and book translations. As Keith puts it, "that's not me being talented, that's just me being tenacious."
Jane pointed to the habit behind it: "Keith's seven calls a day." The message is that consistency compounds. You keep showing up, keep adding value and trust that when a need arises, they will remember you.
Measure what matters: return and recommend
Keith has never cold called. His practice has always run on referrals, supported by a system for generating referrals and loyalty. He says there are only two metrics that matter for experts: does the client return, and do they recommend you?
In his view, return gives you sustainability and recommendation gives you profitability. Jane's introduction notes that 93 per cent of Keith's clients have used him more than once, 57 per cent have asked him back more than six times and 34 per cent have used him every year for more than ten years.
Build IP that is yours
When COVID hit, Keith says about 70 per cent of his events were cancelled within ten days. He built a studio, even though he had never delivered virtually before. With no travel, he finally had time to finish the Goal Driver profile.
His lesson for other experts is to build time into your diary to create content, programs and models that are unique to you, not lifted from a book. He wants experts to be the wise person who shares wisdom, not someone who repeats what everyone already knows.
He also describes the expert's role as translation. There is a bucket load of knowledge out there. Your job is to decipher the complexity, chaos and confusion so clients can say, "I can get that, and I can implement it." Because most clients are insular, an outside perspective is often the most valuable thing you can offer.
Two other guests on The Jane Anderson Show have built signature frameworks of their own: Kim Seeling Smith with the Nine Currencies of Choice, and Dr Monique Beedles with the True Worth Discovery program.
How to Put the Goal Driver Formula to Work
Here is how to apply the ideas from the episode:
Take the snapshot. The free GoalDriver Snapshot is a six-page report and a good first look. Take the snapshot at mygoaldriver.com.
Name your driver. Ask which of the eight feelings moves you most, and what goal would give you more of it.
Name your roadblock. Is it worthiness, comparison or something else? Write down what it is costing you.
Build a 90-day roadmap. Keith ran a session with about ten executives on a 90-day roadmap with 18 parts. For each part, they went back to the relevant page of their report, such as their four fears, chose which was relevant now and listed the steps to take.
Share it. Jane encouraged people to share their results with team members, teammates and partners, and to talk about what they learn.
Jane added a reminder for people in solo practice: you have no boss, so you need something that helps you tap into self-determination. As she put it, the thing holding most people back is simply getting started.
About Keith Abraham
Keith Abraham is a speaker and best-selling author whose books are published in 12 languages. Over a 23-year speaking career he has presented to more than 1.6 million people across 30 countries (figures at the time of recording). He received the Nevin Award in 2002, the highest award given to a professional speaker, and was named Keynote Speaker of the Year in 2012. He is known for his work on goal achievement and is the creator of the Goal Driver Formula. Find out more at keithabraham.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Goal Driver Formula?
The Goal Driver Formula is Keith Abraham's emotion-based approach to goal achievement. It identifies what drives you, helps you define what you want, and strengthens your determination by removing roadblocks. Its aim is to help you reach goals faster, easier and sooner.
How long does the Goal Driver Profile take?
Keith says the diagnostic takes about five to six minutes and covers five areas of your life. At the time of recording, the full report ran to 46 pages, with plans to cut it to 24.
What are the eight goal drivers?
The eight goal drivers are feeling successful, purposeful, inspired, happy, in control, respected, confident and relaxed. Keith says they come from 64 positive emotions, drawn from 135 emotions an adult can experience.
How is it different from DISC or Myers-Briggs?
Keith says those tools tell you where you are. The Goal Driver Profile also gives you a pathway and blueprint for reaching your goal. That is his own description, so test it by taking the snapshot.
Is the Goal Driver Profile free?
Partly. Keith said people could get a free six-page snapshot, and the full profile is a separate paid report. Check mygoaldriver.com for current options and pricing.
Why does Keith link fees to self-esteem?
He believes that if you do not feel worthy, deserving or capable, you will undercharge. His own $30,000 versus $350,000 versus $1.2 million story, shared on the episode, is the example he uses.
Can I use the profile with a team?
Yes. Keith described running it with an executive team of about ten people, who then built a 90-day roadmap from their results. He also mentioned an affiliate arrangement for people who want to use it with their own clients, so ask him about current terms.
Conclusion
Keith Abraham's central idea is that goals stick when they connect to something you feel. The Goal Driver Formula gives you a way to find that feeling, aim it at a goal and deal with the doubts that appear once you commit.
The lessons from his career point the same way. Charge in line with the value you deliver, back yourself with a clear result, keep showing up, and build ideas that are genuinely yours.
If you take one action, make it the simplest. Start the snapshot, see what it says about you, and write down your first step.
Work with Jane Anderson
Are you a female consultant, coach or speaker who wants to work with large organisations? Jane runs a program called Women with Influence for exactly that. Find out more about Women with Influence. Jane also coaches men one-on-one, so reach out if you would like a chat.
Key Takeaways from Today’s Episode:
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Jane Anderson introduces her podcast, "The Jane Anderson Brand New Show," aimed at experts seeking greater impact, influence, and income in their businesses or careers. She discusses the current market dynamics, noting variations in buying cycles among organizations due to factors like fear of making mistakes, adapting to change, or sluggish decision-making. Despite these challenges, many clients are experiencing success by narrowing their focus on specific markets and niches. Jane announces an upcoming Big Deals Masterclass in July and introduces Jade Lee as the special guest, describing her expertise in workplace engagement and corporate culture, drawing from her 20 years of experience in talent management. Jade Lee recently authored a book titled "What My Sherpa Taught Me," blending her story with insights on team effectiveness and employee engagement.
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Jane congratulates Jade on becoming a published author, prompting Jade to express her excitement and slight disbelief at holding her book for the first time. They discuss the vulnerability of writing a book and the imposter syndrome that sometimes accompanies it. Jade shares the origin of her journey, which began seven years ago when she felt disengaged with work and embarked on a trip to Asia, eventually trekking to Everest Base Camp. During her travels, she met her husband, who used to be her Sherpa. This experience sparked her interest in improving workplace engagement and happiness. Jade's work and book draw from this journey, emphasizing the simplicity and fulfillment found in leading a Sherpa-like lifestyle.
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Jade delves into her experiences, including encountering workplace bullying and navigating her husband's adjustment to Australian workplace culture. She reflects on the simplicity and effectiveness of her husband's approach to work, contrasting it with the unnecessary drama often found in corporate environments. Jane and Jade discuss the evolving nature of workplace culture, emphasizing the importance of diversity, inclusion, and unconscious bias awareness. Jade's journey highlights the desire for greater connection, simplicity, and fulfillment in work, resonating with listeners who seek similar values in their careers.
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Jade outlines her consultancy practice, which offers a range of programs tailored to improving team collaboration, leadership, and employee onboarding. Her programs include project kickoff meetings to establish early team connections, leadership and career coaching, and onboarding initiatives for new hires. Jade emphasizes the significance of structured support in employee development and the value of proactive engagement in fostering a positive workplace culture. Through her consultancy, she aims to streamline processes, enhance team dynamics, and promote organizational success.
The conversation continues with Jane and Jade discussing the significance of well-structured programs in consultancy practices. They emphasize the value of optimizing existing programs rather than constantly creating new ones. Jade shares her journey of developing foundational programs focused on team collaboration, leadership coaching, and employee onboarding. She highlights the importance of structured support and accountability in achieving organizational success. Jane acknowledges the challenges practitioners face in balancing various responsibilities and underscores the importance of prioritizing tasks and delegating administrative work to virtual assistants (VAs). Jade affirms the transformative impact of hiring a VA, noting the efficiency gained in managing administrative tasks and focusing on adding value to her consultancy practice.
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Jade reflects on her journey of starting her consultancy practice, acknowledging her initial fears of failure and concerns about financial stability. She highlights the importance of overcoming self-doubt and embracing vulnerability in pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. Jane and Jade discuss the learning curves associated with running a consultancy, emphasizing the absence of a rulebook and the necessity of continuous learning and adaptation. They delve into the process of hiring VAs, with Jade sharing her experience of finding a suitable VA through referrals and leveraging their capacity for learning and adapting to new tasks. The conversation concludes with Jane expressing admiration for Jade's book, "What My Sherpa Taught Me About Teams: A Guide to Engagement at Work," which draws on Jade's personal experiences and insights gained from her journey to Everest Base Camp, encapsulating lessons on team engagement and workplace dynamics.
In this segment, Jade's insights into the challenges and triumphs of starting and managing a consultancy practice offer valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and consultants seeking to navigate the complexities of running a successful business. Additionally, her emphasis on the transformative impact of leveraging virtual assistants underscores the importance of strategic delegation and prioritization in optimizing productivity and achieving business growth.
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Jade delves into the core messages of her book, "What My Sherpa Taught Me About Teams: A Guide to Engagement at Work," drawing parallels between climbing a mountain and fostering team engagement in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of celebrating successes, maintaining a growth mindset, and fostering connection and alignment within teams. With only 20% of people worldwide considered engaged in their jobs, Jade's mission is to elevate more individuals into this category by providing support, direction, and an environment conducive to collaboration. The book, tailored for project teams, aims to guide organizations, particularly in engineering consultancies, mining, and resource sectors, in fostering cohesive and high-performing teams. Jane acknowledges the niche focus of Jade's consultancy practice and applauds her strategic positioning in the market.
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In closing, Jane inquires about Jade's vision for her consultancy practice. Jade expresses her aspiration to speak on the international keynote stage, citing the Mindvalley annual conference as a potential platform. Despite the audacity of her goal, Jade is determined to pursue it, inspired by her personal journey and professional expertise. Jane commends Jade's ambition and encourages her to continue advancing towards her goals. The conversation concludes with Jane highlighting the importance of uniqueness and exceptionalism in building a successful practice, affirming Jade's distinctive approach and commitment to making a meaningful impact in the field of team engagement and leadership development. Jade shares her website and invites listeners to connect with her, promising to keep them updated on her journey to achieving her aspirations.
Jade's reflections on her book's core messages and her vision for her consultancy practice provide valuable insights into her professional journey and aspirations. Her commitment to empowering teams and fostering engagement underscores the significance of effective leadership and collaborative environments in driving organizational success. As Jade continues to pursue her goals, her story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and consultants striving to make a positive difference in their respective fields.
Full Show Transcript:
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Hi there, my name is Jane Anderson and this is the Jane Anderson Brand New Show. It's the podcast for experts who want to have greater impact, influence and income for their businesses and careers. As experts, we know that people buy from people and work with people who they know, who they like and who they trust.
So I'm so glad you're here because it's that time again now to really amplify how you show up in the world. We're certainly seeing plenty of that and I'm being booked myself for some of those. And but some organisations are still continuing to take a little bit longer in their buying cycles.
Some are a little afraid of making decisions, making a mistake in their decisions, or there's so much change going on, they're trying to just keep up. So I think that will still continue for a little while. But overall, most of the clients we're working with are having a lot of success.
The thing that's working the best is to make sure that you're continuing to narrow right into the markets and niching into the particular programs that you're working with. If you need help with that, we actually have the Big Deals Masterclass coming up in July. So jump on the website, you'll see that one coming up.
We have very limited spots and it fills up every single time. So make sure you jump in there. But our special guest today, let me introduce you to her.
So our very special guest is a lady called Jade Lee. She's a workplace engagement and corporate expert, corporate culture expert, I should say. She works with organisations to improve team collaboration and in turn, productivity for organisations.
She's got over 20 years experience in the talent management arena and is passionate about mindfulness, sustained mental health and employee well-being. She has a real passion for travelling and she loves the great outdoors where she met her husband when she was trekking to Everest Base Camp. He was actually her Sherpa.
She's just launched a book which incorporates her Sherpa's story and her knowledge on team effectiveness and employee engagement. What My Sherpa Taught Me. Enjoy the conversation.
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All right. Hi there, Jade. Thank you so much for joining us today.
I know how busy you are. The life of an author and congratulations on you being a published author. How does it feel?
Well, thank you, Jane. I'm so excited to be here. It feels surreal.
It feels amazing. I just I actually just got the book last Wednesday and opened it up and I was just like, wow, this is this is me. This is what I've created.
So sorry, go ahead. No, it's actually interesting. I was talking to a friend and it's it's kind of somehow that imposter syndrome still seems to come in, but it's which it shouldn't.
You've definitely written a book. You've got the evidence. I know.
It's great. It's a vulnerable thing to do to write a book because it's you at your most fully self-expressed, isn't it? Like it's it's your thoughts, your ideas and being able to put that down on a piece of paper and go, oh, people are actually going to read this.
You know, this is my most inner thoughts and feelings and putting yourself up for criticism and judgment and all those things. So, you know, it's a real milestone to do that in your practice. So, you know, I really acknowledge you.
So well done. Thank you. Yeah, it's pretty exciting.
So tell us all about your practice, Jade. Tell us about, you know, how did it start? Where are you based, by the way?
You're in Brisbane, yeah? I'm in Brisbane. Yeah, so I'm based in Brisbane.
So I guess to take it back, probably where it really started was about seven years ago, I was feeling pretty disengaged with my work and feeling a bit a bit lost and disillusioned. And I was actually planning on going over to Vietnam and Cambodia at the time. And I thought I was actually talking to somebody, a younger person who's about 21, and he was going to go backpacking through Asia.
And I was thinking, God, I wish I could do that. I used to be able to do that, but I can't do that anymore. And really, there was nothing stopping me from doing it.
Like I was actually single at the time, had a couple of investment properties and, you know, was able to actually access the money to do it. And I thought, let's just do it. So I took six months off and went trekking.
Well, I went to Vietnam and Cambodia, spent some time in Asia. And as only an Australian can do, had a look at the map and thought, Oh, Nepal isn't that far. Nepal isn't very far from Cambodia.
So I jumped on a plane, went to Cambodia, decided that I would trek to Everest Base Camp. And when I went over there, I was talking to the travel agent. And I said, look, listen, I'm happy to to to have a shelf.
I have a guide, but I want them to be able to carry my backpack. I don't want to have a guide and a porter. And he said, yeah, I know somebody who who can do that.
He used to be a porter and now he's a guide. And it turns out his name was Gabinda and he is now my husband. Isn't that amazing?
So that was pretty interesting. But but what I learned on that trekking trail was how engaged and happy people were in in their work when they were getting paid like twenty five dollars a day. And I was just really shocked, like not shocked.
But it was just really interesting when I knew there was so many people in Australia that weren't happy and like they were earning, you know, six figures and still weren't happy. Like, you know, had an amazing house and had everything they could possibly want. And it started me actually thinking about how we can get better engagement at work and how we can have happier employees and get more done.
So that's really where it started initially, seven years ago and actually launched two years ago and now have have really taken a big step for getting the book out and having all my ideas out there. Oh, that's amazing. What an incredible journey.
What an incredible story. And you met your husband that way as well. Does he still carry all your luggage when you travel?
And he doesn't really like climbing mountains anymore.
[Speaker 2] (6:27 - 6:27)
Oh, really?
[Speaker 1] (6:28 - 6:55)
Yeah. It's actually quite funny. We live near some bushland here.
And every now and then we go into the bushland. But it's not really it's not really as much of a as much in service as it used to be. Really?
You can get what you signed up for. You're like, you know, I could really use you climbing Mount Keetha over back home. So, no, he's settled into the Australian life very well.
[Speaker 2] (6:55 - 6:55)
Has he?
[Speaker 1] (6:56 - 9:53)
That's a big change. It's a very it's a very big change. And that's also influenced my thinking around, you know, diversity in our workplaces as well, because it's hard.
Like he used to climb up and down mountains with a new group of people every two weeks. He would develop those connections because he knew that if he developed those connections, he'd have happier clients. Yes.
Then he didn't understand workplace politics. He doesn't understand all the drama that we can get into in workplaces. He didn't like he was saying things to me like, I think that they're jealous of me because I'm working really hard.
And there's other people in there in his organization who probably aren't working as hard and feeling a bit jealous. And I'm like, you know what? You probably you probably are right.
And it's actually it's all these things that we learn. Like when we had our first jobs at 15, 16 about how to interact in a workplace that he never knew. So working through that and and then I started thinking, why is there all this drama?
Why do we have all this corporate BS that we have to deal with? So, yeah, and I was and that's kind of also influenced it as well, trying to help him navigate what workplace culture is in Australia. It's evolving so much, isn't it?
Like really thinking that whole unconscious bias and really thinking about, you know, have we got the right people on our teams and how are we giving people an opportunity to contribute? And are we valuing the diversity of ideas and where people come from? And, you know, just really, you know, I think if you've traveled overseas, you see some of these things, particularly in some of these countries where you get to see such a variety and how those how those cultures operate in just a different context.
And you do ask the question. I know that's why I left corporate. I don't need to do this anymore.
I've done this because I think we all get that point in even sometimes in our careers, particularly if we've got a consulting practice, like most of the people who listen to this podcast is and the women that listen to this podcast often have that same feeling where they go, you know what? I don't want to do this anymore. I'd rather I just want to do really good work.
I want to work with clients that I really like working with. And I just want to do I want to have some choice. I want to have the freedom and I want to do what I want to do.
And I think that's often, you know, that side of it where we've gone, you know, I don't think I need to do this anymore. I think I have some choice now. Is that kind of what happened?
And that's what you practice? Yeah, that was exactly. And then interestingly, when I came back from from that trip, I still I worked for, you know, obviously quite a few years.
And I actually also as part of that experience myself a bullying situation, you know, and I ended up having to go down the work cover path and the burnout mental health path. And that all contributed to it as well. And it's just like, you know, we need to have greater connection with each other and actually really appreciate working together as a team.
[Speaker 2] (9:53 - 9:54)
Yeah.
[Speaker 1] (9:54 - 21:47)
And it doesn't have to have as much drama as we seem to as we seem to create, which is basically what the book comes down to, leading that really simple, yeah, Sherpa Sherpa lifestyle is is really what we all crave. Yeah. Oh, I think we do.
I think we totally resonate. I think for those who are listening today, yep, that's exactly. You know, I think the simplicity of that lifestyle.
Plus, we've also had coming out of covid and going, you know what? Life's too short. You know, I'm going to start to create this lifestyle that I that I want to and to be able to, you know, whether it means I want to travel more, I don't want to travel more.
I want to stay home. I know I want to work, you know, this bit at home. I want to do that.
Like just designing it now. So, Jade, tell us a little bit about. So with the programs that you have, tell us about your practice in terms of the programs like that you deliver.
Is it mostly training or a bit of coaching or is it a bit of everything? How does it all work? It's a little bit of everything.
So I have a background mainly in resources and mine. I've actually pretty much worked in every industry known to man. But resources and mining is where I've generally gone back to in that engineering area.
So so one of my key programs is doing project kickoff meetings. So actually developing that connection early on in the piece. We know when projects start up, that's when you can have the most influence on the on the outcome of the project.
However, it's also when it's also the time when the team is kind of at their fledgling stage. So trying to fast track that connection in the at the start up. So getting really clear on what the vision is, starting to connect the people and and providing that support within the team.
Right. So that's it's one of my major projects, major programs. And then I also offer coaching.
So leadership coaching and and career coaching. So if you're in a position in your career, I I've worked in HR and recruitment is my is my basic background. So, yes, if you are looking to make a change and not quite sure how to do it or not quite sure what you want to change into at that point, I actually offer a coaching package as well.
And then I also have a program for onboarding new starters into organizations. So developing that connection up really close, really early. So in the first 12 weeks, having that really kind of more intensive start up with people, because often people get what we often expect, like having worked in recruitment for years, it was like, I want someone who can hit the ground running.
And I'm like, that's great. But where do you want them to run to? Where do you want them to run with?
And they just have to find it all out themselves. If you give them that support upfront and in a more structured manner, then then they're going to be a much better employee down the track. And you also know very, very clearly if they are the right person for you.
If you put that support in. Yes. Often there's a.
I guess there's a thought once we get to the end of the probation period, or maybe they're not right, but the managers like, but maybe I didn't spend enough time with them and maybe that's why they're not right. So that you have that really good clarity that, no, I support them really well and I can clearly make that decision. Yes.
What a great offering to put together for that. Like, I mean, that just sets up so much success for everyone, doesn't it? I mean, I think and what I love about that is I think sometimes, you know, when you're building your practice, some things like that, you know, we we sometimes trying to create like all these new things.
I don't know if you were like me when I started my thought leadership practice, but you're like, what is that? All these new things. And but sometimes you've already got some really great programs already.
You actually don't need to go and create a whole lot of new stuff. It's actually these are the programs that you're already delivering. Just do them really well and unpack the thinking around them, consolidate them so that you can leverage them and amplify your practice.
So, you know, is that kind of what you did? Yeah. Yeah.
And the thing is, it's foundational. Like, yes, it can it can seem quite simple. Like, look after your people to begin with.
Of course, that makes sense. Right. But we just don't do it.
We don't do it well. And I think that actually being able to give people some form of structure in that is what people love it. I think, oh, my God, right.
I need to do this this week, this this week. And and then they and they know that they're on track. And because everyone, you know, wants people to succeed in their teams.
But people get busy. We get busy and we kind of lose a little bit of focus. So it's around, you know, and also making sure that the time that you do spend with your people is focused and you're really present with them at those times.
Because often, you know, we're thinking about an email we've got to send or we're, you know, checking our emails or we're taking a phone call. And if you just have that quality 20 minutes with your people once a week, that's, you know, that's probably really all that you need. But it needs to be focused so that people feel valued and appreciated and all of those things.
Yeah. And we just, you know, sometimes we think, oh, you know, I know some of the clients we work with that they talk about, and they go, aren't these things kind of obvious? Like, you know, can't they just do those things if I just tell them?
But, you know, we have to actually think about clients just needs, I think, so much more support and focus and to be able to continue to do those things. Don't they more than ever? Like, they're just so distracted.
There's so much change. And just to continue to hold them, give them the support, but the accountability to make sure that those things are in place, because they're just particularly executives. They just pulled in so many directions, you know, sometimes just being able to support them through that.
Whatever it is, the programs that we've got, we can sometimes undervalue the programs we're selling and delivering because we go, oh, should I really? Wouldn't they do that themselves? Can I just, you know, should I really do that?
Do you find sometimes like that? Yeah, well, no, actually, if I don't hold you accountable, if I don't support you, it's not going to happen. That's exactly right.
And I think that I've just I just know for so many years that even the best of intentions that people still still don't get, you know, it's going to get the attention and the onboarding. And it's often it's it's reminders and it's having the processes in place. And like you said, the accountability.
So, yeah, well, have you done it? Have you sat down with the person? Especially what happening?
That's right, especially mining and resources, because it's so reactive. So, you know, there's so many other distractions that happen. So I love that there's so much power in that and the power and the simplicity of of being able to support your clients through that.
So tell us with starting your practice, what was your biggest fear with starting your practice? Oh, yeah. What was that?
Yes, failure, failure. Yep. Yeah, for me, probably it would it would have just been money.
Cash flow was probably the biggest fear that failure, failure piece in terms of you're putting yourself out there, like you're on LinkedIn and people know what you're doing. And it's like, you know, if if I go back into the corporate world again, you know, people will think that I've failed. But I think what I what I've learned so much is that, you know, you just need to if they're not in the arena, like as Renee Brown says, if they're not in the arena, you don't need to worry about them.
And they don't need to worry about them. And the people who are in the arena, they they've got your back. So so, yeah, so I think that that's it was just a fear of failure.
And putting your ideas out there is actually quite difficult. Like, it's not like I actually I've been doing a course around being better on video. And yes, and as part of that, you have to post a video on LinkedIn.
And I hadn't done very many videos at the time. And and so I heard someone say, oh, I just can't, you know, publish on a LinkedIn post. I said, get your VA to do it.
Just give it to them. That's right. Yeah.
You don't have to do it. Stay away from it. Back off.
Just hand the video over. I love that. It's so many times you have to do it.
Stay away from the unsubscribe button in your newsletter list. Like, don't go near it. Don't look at those things, because you've got to do so much to protect that mojo, don't you, in this game.
Like any of those things can really throw you off really easily. And and you like, I actually wrote a post about how much you you take so much more notice of the negative feedback than the positive. Like and oh, and there could be like, is that the the post when something like I sent out my blog this week and it had full spelling errors in it.
And I was just and someone came back and told me and I was mortified. And I'm like, but where were you when you told me that you really like my work? Are you coming back to me every week and saying, good, good job?
No. Exactly. Back to me when I'm done.
Love your error-free work, Jade. No, thank you. And like the thing is that, you know, and even in corporate world, like you can look at an email 10 times and go, I'm sure I've got it right.
I think I've got it right. You hit send and you go, oh, I forgot to do that. And and we always ruminate on that.
We don't ruminate, you know, all the positive feedback. We kind of everyone like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Where we do tend to beat ourselves up a bit, don't we?
And we can, you know, just if you can, the sooner you can get a B.A. to do those things, the sooner, you know, they start to protect yourself a little bit and get a little bit of self preservation, I think. But, you know, even just that, I think, is worth their weight. You know, if they can just help with some of those things.
So based on, you know, like for how far you've come into your practice journey now, like you've done some incredible stuff, you've got programs going, you've got a book going now, which we want to talk a bit more about. What what based on what you've done so far, what have been some of the learnings or insights or things that you would have done a bit differently compared to if you reflect back? Is there anything that comes to mind?
There's probably two things. One, I would have written my book earlier, like the book was pretty much ready to go two years ago. Like if I had if I had had my I had all my, you know, pink sheets, all my ideas pretty much ready to go, but I hadn't actually done it.
So I probably would have started my practice with the book. And having said that, like it has evolved and it has worked, but it's you know, I guess it really just depends on your own personal circumstances. And I would say the best thing I've done is get a B.A. So, you know, for the for the investment, having a virtual assistant is is great. I and I was at one stage just working on all that, you know, all the admin. And I wasn't adding value to my practice. And that's really the energy out of that space.
[Speaker 2] (21:48 - 21:48)
Yeah.
[Speaker 1] (21:49 - 22:53)
And how did you find them, Jay? Was it a referral? Like it's constantly the issue that comes up all the time with people in their practices, particularly women, because, you know, the juggling I can find just more, more the bandwidth is stretched a little bit further.
So that the value of that B.A. And it's a scary thing to bring them on. How did you go about? Did you find it through someone?
Or did you visit an agency? Did you get a referral? What did you find work best for you?
Yeah, I found it through somebody. I did look at the agency path and that was because my B.A. is actually based in the Philippines. That was going to be a much more expensive way of doing it.
So I actually just reached out and and I only like I only had her originally for like 20 hours a week. So we actually shared a B.A. with somebody else. And it becomes not a massive.
It's not a massive investment, but it is. It makes a massive difference to your time and to to where you're focusing on. So, yes, that was a referral.
Yeah.
[Speaker 2] (22:54 - 22:54)
Yeah.
[Speaker 1] (22:54 - 31:47)
And I want to be honest with you. You know, she is actually a community. Seems to be a community of B.A.'s over there. So if I if I talk to to my B.A. and say, hey, someone's looking for someone for 10 hours a week, she will. They kind of find them and they and they train them up so they can work really well with Australian Australian clients. Yeah.
Yes. Yeah. I reckon the word of mouth here and the word of mouth there, if they, you know, they can sort of, you know, work out who do they know, because they can sort of end up being a little bit sort of translating.
There's so much to learn in a practice, isn't there? So there's just not really a handbook or a rule book or a lot of people that have necessarily experience in running a game like this. That's right.
And the thing is, what I've found with with my B.A. Chris is that she like I'll say I need you to work on this. Like I try to give her different things to do, not just, you know, a lot of LinkedIn stuff. I said, yes, work out.
Can you work out how to use this software package and how it's going to work for our practice? And yeah, and she will go back and just say, and they'll obviously have their own community. And they say, has anyone worked on this software package?
How do I do it? Or they'll take the time to go through and do the you know, look at the YouTube videos and all of that kind of stuff. But it's not worth my time to do it.
I don't really need to know how to do it. Like it's nice to actually know how to do it on one level. But once you know it, that's it.
So she'll do all the research for me. And I think it's like anything you need to get the right person. Like she's somebody who I know wants to learn and expand more.
So I give her more interesting things to do. Like she launched the Amazon campaign, you know, for my book. She was behind all of that and all the different ideas and even working on Canva, developing stuff on Canva for marketing.
Yeah, so it's great. How good is that? I mean the technology and the systems and all those things there.
You got like Asana, the Canva, all those things if we can find. And if they can learn, the key is how good they are at learning, isn't it? That they can pick those things up.
And so in terms of, so tell us all about your book. Your book is what, hang on, I just had it here a second ago. I just want to get this title right.
And I read it out in your intro, which is What My Sherpa Taught Me About Teams, A Guide to Engagement at Work. So you met your husband who is your Sherpa. And these are things that you learned from him on that trip that you mentioned earlier, is that right?
And then you've decided to write the book about what you learned on that trip. And then you've ended up marrying him. I just think this is amazing.
I ended up marrying him. When you get to 38 without meeting the man of your dreams and you happen to find him on Everest, you just bring him home, right? That's whatever it takes.
-
So tell us all about it. So yeah, so basically it's using the Sherpa analogy of climbing the mountain to engagement at work, okay? So, and it's also like a Sherpa, they don't summit the mountain first.
They support everyone to get to the mountain. And then they also know that they need to help people back down the mountain, you know, safely as well. So it's around that.
There's like certain lessons from the Sherpa in the book. So things like when we're in a team, often we forget to celebrate the successes. So, but if you're on the checking trail, you walk for a couple of hours and then you stop and you have a drink and you look back and you see how far you've come and all of that.
So it's kind of like that milestone idea. So around celebrating successes. And it's kind of a growth mindset.
Exactly. There's a lot of stories in the book about my experiences in the Western culture and kind of showing how we can learn a little bit around the simplicity and around getting more connected to ourselves and what we want and getting closer to our values as well. Yeah, so it's like lots of different lessons of how we can climb that mountain to being more engaged because unfortunately, there's only about 20% of people worldwide who are regarded as engaged in their job, which is quite concerning.
20%. Only 20%. The rest of us are just what I call going with the flow and taking home the dough.
So, oh, there's also another about 20% who are actively disengaged or actually causing problems in the workplace. But yeah, my mission is to try and get a few more people up into that engaged category. So we feel like we're contributing.
We feel like we're adding value. And like the role of the Sherpa leader is around providing that support, providing direction, and also creating an environment where people can collaborate better together. Right.
And so with the book, what's your hope in terms of like the ideal clients? So you've kind of written the book for it's a positioning activity. It really helps to sort of frame up your practice and show that sort of angle you're coming in on your expertise.
And so, because you've already, you've had a business as such or a role in like recruitment. So you sort of got lots, you would imagine, I'm imagining lots of people very well connected. And then with the clients, you're sort of thinking is it, you mentioned before a bit about mining and resources.
Are you seeing it for that type of industry or is it a bit of a mix of different industries or do you have, what made you sort of decide on this one and this specific, for this specific, like not, you've done it for teams. Is it that you're like, what do you want to do with it? And who do you want to work with?
And what was the purpose of the book? Like in terms of the type of market? Yeah, so it's around project teams.
I guess it's around project teams specifically. Got it. Okay.
Yeah, it would apply to any, it does apply to any teams, but I've got a really good background in setting up projects and working in mining projects. So doing those kickoff meetings or those restart meetings with project teams to get them really aligned on what they need to achieve and how they're going to communicate better and work more collaboratively together. That's really, really where it's about.
So engineering consultancies, mining organisations, resources companies, even, you know, now all the new energy stuff as well. Those people who are coming together and need to develop their cohesive team quite quickly is probably where my niche market is. Got it.
Okay. Well, it's, you know, I really like the narrowness of that market. Like, you know, like you said, you could use it, you've got some flexibility to be able to work with it and the message works right.
But amazing, isn't it? That you've got, you know, to be able to, we've got to be able to go in a bit narrow and you've got that, that sounds like you've got some of those industries ready to go and have conversations with already in your practice. Is that right?
Yeah, that's right. And because I hate to think how many engineers I've recruited and mentored and coached over the years. And engineers are one of those more technical specialties that often people get put into leadership roles where they don't necessarily get the support to be a successful leader.
So actually being able to work with them, like they have the ability to be able to do it, but they just need the guidance and the coaching to really make the most of their teams. And that's where I see a real need in the market, to be honest. Yeah.
Yeah. Great. And so lucky last question in your practice, what's your vision?
What's your dream? Or what's your biggest goal for your practice? I would love to be on the international keynote stage.
Jane, there we go. I'm putting it out there. There you go.
We're calling it. Right. Fantastic.
Excellent. I love that you've named it. That's exciting.
So what would be your dream stage? Do you know? It's actually funny.
I listened to a podcast called the Mindvalley podcast. I don't know if you've listened to it. And I was actually listening to it this morning.
It was Gabrielle Bernstein, who's the author of The Universe Has Your Back. And they obviously do a conference every year or whatever. And some really amazing people get on there.
That might be my big audacious goal.
[Speaker 2] (31:47 - 31:48)
Mindvalley's annual conference.
[Speaker 1] (31:49 - 31:50)
Okay. There you go. A big audacious goal.
[Speaker 2] (31:50 - 31:51)
All right.
[Speaker 1] (31:52 - 32:51)
Okay. Remember us when you're famous. We'll all be going, we remember the day that we did the podcast with Jade.
I'll be sure to let you know I'm on there, Jane. Absolutely. There we go.
Look at this. That's fantastic, Jade. So if people want to follow you, Jade, they want to learn more about the book, if they want to buy the book, I think I've had a look around the books on Amazon and they can go to your website and all that sort of stuff.
Is that right? That's correct. So jadelee.com.au is my book. And you can go into Amazon. Don't get too confused. There is another Jade Lee who's an author who writes erotic...
She writes erotic fiction. That's not me. I'm the online photographer.
I was going to say, you never know. There could be some love scenes. Since you got married, these things could happen.
I was waiting for the love scene in the chapter of the book. That's hilarious.
[Speaker 2] (32:52 - 32:52)
Yeah.
[Speaker 1] (32:52 - 34:37)
So yeah, so jadelee.com.au. Reach out on LinkedIn. jadelee.com.au. Okay. Based in Brisbane.
And I've got a picture of a mountain in the background of my LinkedIn profile. Oh, fantastic. Well, thanks so much for joining us today, Jade.
It's been absolutely an absolute pleasure to meet you. I'm so thrilled for you and your book. And I know those who are listening today will be so inspired to hear about your adventures and what you've been able to write about in your book.
But I think even more so is being able to craft a message and to align your message with a fantastic metaphor around something that's personal and happened to you. And what I love about that is, you know, what we talk about a lot on the podcast is about uniqueness and exceptionality and two big things that create the exceptionality are, what is it that you do different? And what is it that you do better than everybody else?
And I think those two things, you really ticked those two boxes today in being able to build your practice. So we look forward to following your journey and seeing you up on the Mindvalley stage and waving from afar. And hopefully we get to have you back and hear all about it when that happens as well.
That's the top of the mountain, yeah? That's it. That's the top of the mountain.
That's a really big mountain. You just got to keep putting one step in front of the other to get there. That's the other Sherpa lesson.
Right. All right. One step in front of the other.
All right. We'll be doing that. We'll be watching and watching closely.
So thanks so much, Jade. Jump on her website. Make sure you reach out.
Say hi to Jade. Let her know that you listen to the podcast and we look forward to seeing you again, perhaps down the track. Thanks, Jade.
Thanks for having me. My pleasure.
