A week in the life of a CEO… Back to school edition
In short, here’s what’s happening this week May 21-27. I’m…
Taking the train - Tomorrow, after almost a week in New York, I head to Boston. I’m taking the Amtrak train and looking forward to checking out some views of the coast on the way.
Heading back to school- From Weds to Saturday I’ll be in class with 64 other entrepreneurs from around the globe. This is the main reason I’m here in the US: to attend year 1 of the Entrepreneurial Masters Program in Boston. This EO event is 4 days of intense classroom learning at MIT each year for the next three years. Writing - The Culture is Everything book is taking shape! My first attempt at writing a book is a challenging journey but I’m well on the way. Stay tuned, as soon as there is something to share, I’ll let you know where to find it. And yes, like nearly everything I create, there will be a way to get your hands on a copy of the Culture is Everything book for free. I’m writing it to be shared…
Loving - the thought that this time next week I’ll be back home with KW & Little Alex :)
Do you know why you exist?
Why do you exist? Why do I exist? What is the purpose of our lives? Big questions, hey! Well over the last few days, without meaning it, I’ve drafted and re-drafted a personal core purpose. What I mean by a personal core purpose is the reason that I exist.
How did I come to ‘fall’ into working on my core purpose?! Well I’ve been feverishly writing the Culture is Everything book and part of that process involved writing about the concept of a core purpose (you know, the short sharp statement that describes why an organisation exists).
Discovering the ‘why’, the core reason that a business exists is the starting point for any great organisation. As I wrote about this concept and reflected on how we discovered The Physio Co’s core purpose, I started thinking about my own purpose. What drives me? What inspires me to continually get out of bed, set goals and then passionately work towards achieving them? Then all of a sudden I started to feel really silly. I thought to myself why on earth do I do what I do? Why do I set these seemingly random goals without a core purpose that guides my direction and aligns me to the reason that I exist? So I got to it and started working on discovering my own core purpose.
I spent quite a while thinking, drafting and working towards why I exist. I had many drafts and thoughts, but not one that I felt really nailed it. So I decided to try something different. I started thinking about my professional life. My job as founder and CEO of The Physio Co. What drives me in that part of my life? Again, I had lots of drafts until finally I discovered something that felt right.
What I discovered was that the work I do everyday, and have done for the last 8 years and what I think will drive me for years to come, has just one focus. My personal purpose at The Physio Co is: “to create a business that feels like a family and inspires me to improve myself every single day.” The reason this felt right is because it has a higher purpose, a meaning greater than myself. Because, if I improve myself every day, I’ll become better at my job and contribute to an even better family at The Physio Co tomorrow.
Now, this is still just a draft. I know there is more work to do on it and I would prefer to have a personal rather than a work-related purpose. But, it’s a start and I promise to share any updates as my purpose becomes clearer.
Ever considered why you exist? Do you have a core purpose already? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this idea. If you have a minute, please leave a comment or question below :)
Two weeks in the life of a CEO… Vancouver, Atlanta & New York edition!
In short, here’s what’s happened May 6-13 & happening May 14-20. I’m…
Pinching myself - I am an Ironman! I made it.  Read the full race report over here & see the official photos here.
Nursing - two really sore toes from the IM marathon (I haven’t worn shoes for a week!)
Moving around - I’ve been in Vancouver from May 9-12, Atlanta May 14-16 & right now I’m in the air on the way to New York.
Learning 1 - Global Leadership Conference in Vancouver.  This EO event was 2 days of training for my new role as Board Member of EO Melbourne.  I was there with 750 other EO leaders (& 10 of the Melbourne Board) to learn what’s required for my year ahead as Communications Chair.
Learning 2 - Fortune Leadership Summit in Atlanta. Â This 2-day Gazelles / Fortune event was brilliant. Verne Harnish always puts on a brilliant group of thought leading speakers. Â This year was no exception with Jim Collins the headline act.
Commenting - on what makes for a short, sharp & productive meeting. Click here for a 30-second read from LeadingCompany
Writing - the next 5 days in New York have a focus: draft 5 chapters of the Culture is Everything book.  I’ll have my head down at the Ace Workspace creating the content! (Don’t worry I’ll make time to see the sights, run around the park and eat some pizza too!)
Recruiting - The Phyiso Co is on the lookout for physios in Melbourne, Bendigo & Geelong who love helping oldies stay mobile, safe & happy.  If you know someone who might be interested, please ask them to get in touch :)
Loving - FaceTime & iMessage!  Seeing KW & Little Alex both live via FaceTime & in daily photos via iMessage (all for free) is just brilliant! I love Apple :)
My First Ironman - all the detail!
My first Ironman is complete and it was one of the most rewarding and fun days of my life. Seriously, I loved it!! I finished in the time I had in mind, had no major problems through the day and even smiled for most of it! I’ll definitely do another one and I think you should too.
Going into race day for Ironman Australia 2012, my plan was to finish in 12-13 hours. My official time ended up at 12hrs 40mins. (The winner finished in approx 8hr 15mins while the last person crossed the line after almost 17 hours!)
Below is a quick summary of how I remember the day. It was brilliant! (I’ll share the photos too, as soon as I get them from FinisherPix)..
Swim
The swim start and turns around the buoys were crazy! So many people trying to do the same thing at the same time in a very small piece of water. I ran into people heaps of times and at one point someone even swam over the top of me! I had to keep reminding myself to relax and move forward as best I could. I guess everyone else was doing the same.
I found a good rhythm on the long sections of the two-lap course and just followed the crowd.
My swim time of 1hr 14min was an awesome result. A 1hr 20min swim was my pre-race goal. I was really pleased with the swim, especially because I had to stop and tread water for a minute or so with a calf cramp at the start of the second lap (stopping in the middle of 1400+ swimmers is difficult, I don’t recommend it!).
I caught a fleeting glance of my cheer squad (KW, Little Alex, Mum, Pete, AD & Nicole) as I headed up the red carpet, out of the water and into transition. I smiled as I ran to find my cycling gear. This is Ironman!!
Bike
The bike leg was great fun!
The hills getting into and out of Port Macquarie were challenging and cost me a bit of time, but, weren’t as tough as I’d been expecting. I had a pre-race goal of averaging 28km/h for the entire 180km for a bike split just under 6hr 30min. In the end I averaged 27km/h and took 6hr 38mins. Pretty good for the first one!
I had no major problems except needing a mechanic to tighten a loose bidon cage at the 25km mark, I was stopped for about one minute. The only other times I stopped cycling was to quickly say g’day to my support crew at the halfway mark and with 8km to go when I thought I had a flat. It was a false alarm, phew!
I felt pretty crook during the last hour of the bike. I’d had just about enough of that bloody orange Gatorade and was ready to make a start on the marathon.
Run
The run went to plan despite some very wobbly legs when I got off the bike and some really sore toes in the last few kms. I can’t say it was fun exactly, but I did enjoy it.
My run plan was always a run/walk. I’ve had lots of calf problems in the past few years and haven’t graduated to running non-stop just yet (I will). All of my training was a combination of run/walk and I did the same in the race. In fact, the ironman marathon for me was 84 x 400m jogs with a 100m walk between each one! And it worked. I’d planned to come in at 4hrs 30mins and crossed the line at 4hrs 38.
In the lead up, I knew that I had to run/walk my way through it, my calves wouldn’t make it any other way. I thought I’d be the only one walking. Wrong!! So much walking happens in an Ironman marathon. Most people did some walking each km or two. My system fitted in without anyone noticing. For me, it worked perfectly.
I was so lucky to have my cheer squad spread out on the run course. Every few km’s I could here their bells ringing, was giving high fives and seing ‘Tristan White: run with all your might’ posters appearing to spur me on. (Thanks so much guys!)
Being cheered on for the last few hundred metres by my mate, fellow Ironman and unofficial coach, Steve Glowrey was awesome. And then running into the finishing chute, hugging my family and crossing the line to become an Ironman was everything I’d hoped it would be.
My first ironman was a brilliant day and, in hindsight, I probably could’ve gone a bit faster. But, I’m glad that I stuck with my plan. The little bit of energy that I left in the tank allowed me to take in the sights and really enjoy the experience. I’ll be faster next time :)
Inspired? Or think I’m nuts? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below..
A week in the life of a CEO - Ironman Edition!!
In short, here’s what’s happening May 1-7. I’m…
Preparing - Ironman Australia is on this Sunday.  It’s arrived!  Depending on which hour of the day you ask me, I’m feeling excited, anxious, a bit scared, confident or a little relieved! It’s been almost 12 months since I registered for my first Ironman and I can’t wait to test myself on the course.
KW and little Alex have supported and helped me every step of the way of this Ironman journey. Â Come Sunday evening, it’ll be their Ironman as much as it will be mine. Â We’ve used the event as an excuse for a bit of a getaway and have already spent a week here in Port Macquarie. Â In that time I’ve ridden and driven the bike course; little Alex and I walked the run course and tomorrow I’ll dive in and get used to the Hastings river swim course with Steve Glowrey.
It’s been awesome to watch all of the Ironman flags and tents go up around town. Â It’s also exciting seeing more and more people arrive in town wearing the Ironman branded gear. Â I can see how some people get addicted. There’s a bit of a cult feel about it!
The last part of my preparation involves a swim tomorrow morning followed by hitting the Ironman expo to pick up my very own Ironman branded gear! Â Friday and Saturday will involve double and triple checking my gear, getting plenty of rest and fuelling up for the big day. Â Wish me luck!
A big thanks to everyone who’s helped and supported me along the way. Â And thanks to my Mum, Pete, AD, Nic & of course KW and little Alex. Â These guys will be here on Sunday to cheer me on. Â It’s going to be a long 12 hour+ day for me, and even longer for them waiting for me to finish! Â Thanks for your support guys :)
A week in the life of a CEO… Lots of Speaking Edition!
In short, here’s what’s happening April 16-22. I’m…
Presenting - a webcast “How to Motivate People at Work” for 1000 physios via the Australian Physio Association. (Check out the slides here)
Welcoming - Helena from RetailCare to join us for To The Point!
Attending - The Physio Co’s learning event: “Orthotics for Oldies”.
Suggesting - if you’re keen on an inspirational brekky with Sir Bob Geldoff, check out next week’s Business Chicks Event in Melbourne  here. (I wish I could make it).
Continuing - to celebrate our 50th team member joining The Physio Co family :)
Recording - a keynote presentation especially for the Culture is Everything community (you’ll see it here on the blog very soon).
Tapering - less than 3 weeks until Ironman Australia. Â Only about 12 hours of training this week, most of the work is done.
Speaking** - to an inspired group of Accountants on Friday to share “Why Culture really is Everything”
Packing - KW, Little Alex and I are heading to Port Macquarie for a short holiday (that will include the Ironman on May 6!)
(**If you’d like to know more about some of the speaking I’ve been doing or are interested in having me present a keynote presentation, please drop me a line over here.)
Best Australian Blogs 2012 - Culture is Everything nominated!
Culture is Everything, this blog(!) has been nominated for the Best Australian Blog Aards 2012. Awesome!
Last year Culture is Everything was listed as one of Australia’s 25 Best Business Blogs by SmartCompany. Â This year it could be a Best Australian Blog Award. Â I’m rapt to be in the running for this award and pretty humbled at the same time.
Thanks so very much to you, the person reading this post. Â Without your support this blog site wouldn’t be what it is today. Â I’m inspired by you, the person that takes the time to swing by and read the posts, drop me an email, ask a question or make a comment. Â I love sharing what I learn and sincerely hope that it helps.
If you have just 30 seconds, please lend a click to support Culture is Everything in the Peoples’ Choice award of the Best Australian Blogs 2012 competition. Â Please click here and vote for Culture is Everything. I’d really appreciate your help.
How I set 5 personal records in 9 days
The last 4 weeks have been some of the most testing and rewarding of my life. Â Why? Â Because I’m training for one of the toughest sporting events in the world: the Ironman Triathlon.
It’s been a 12-month journey since I attended Ironman Australia 2011 to cheer Steve Glowrey to finish his 10th Ironman.  That day, May  1 2011, is the day I decided to become an Ironman.  (An Ironman triathlon is a 3.8km swim, 180km bike &  42.2km run raced in that order without a break).
It’s on my bucketlist
My dream to become an Ironman had been lingering in my mind and on my bucketlist for a few years. Â I’d followed Steve’s progress and that of my EO mates Mark Moses, Kris Kaplan & Jack Daly. Â These guys were smashing out massive km’s on the bike, the run and the pool and celebrating with Ironman finishes. Â The time had come for me to sign up and make my dream a reality. Ironman Australia on May 6 2012 was to be the day.
Some of those very first training sessions in mid-2011 were daunting. For example, the day I swam 20 laps (500m) of a 25m pool and felt like I was going to die! I was starting from a zero-base in both the pool and on the run. Â I had minimal bike fitness built from 6 months worth of occasional rides until mid 2011. Â I had set myself one hell of a challenge that I would question many times in the next 12 months.
Why am I doing it?
Why have I set such a huge challenge?  A few reasons: 1) I love choosing goals that seem almost impossible and then testing myself to make sure they happen; 2) For the past 12 years I have been focussed on my work and career at the expense of my fitness; 3) I have set goals and tested myself many times over in my career, my journey as a business owner and in my personal life.  I had never tested myself physically before.  4) A business with a great culture focusses on getting the work/life balance right for everyone. Every member of The Physio Co family is encouraged and supported to set personal goals.  I’m the CEO and I’m no exception.  This is the bucketlist item that I’m working on.
The records
Jump forward to today, April 15 2012. Â The last 4 weeks have been the most intense and most important in my Ironman preparation. Â Every competitor preparing for an Ironman has to ‘do the work’ - the long sessions that train the body and the mind to perform on raceday. Â Each of the past 4 weeks has included about 18-20 hours per week of training with a majority happening on the weekends: a long swim on Friday, a long ride (followed by a short run) on Saturday and a long run on Sunday. Â The past 9 days have been the biggest distances by a long way. Â Before these last 9 days my personal records for the furthest distances I’d ever covered were: 3km in the pool, 160km on the bike and a 21km run. Here are my new records:
- Swim Record 1: April 6 - 3.5km
- Run Record 1: April 7 - 25km
- Bike Record 1: April 8 - 227km (yep, 3 records in 3 days up to here!)
- Swim Record 2: April 13 - 4km
- Run Record 2: April 14 - 30km
What’s left?
There are 3 weeks left until Ironman Australia 2012. Â My training tapers off now to give my body and mind a chance to recover from this 4-week period and prepare for doing it all together on May 6. Â I’m looking forward to a short period of less distance and more time mentally preparing for the race. Â I’m still an absolute novice (I’ve only completed one triathlon in my life!) and I’ve heard anything can happen on race day, but, I’m confident I’ve done the work and that in 3 weeks time I will become an Ironman. Wish me luck!
The Physio Co family grows to 50!!
Back in 2009, The Physio Co created our first Painted Picture vision of how our business would look, act & feel in three years time. One of the goals in that vision was that by 31 December 2012: We have more than 50 fantastic team members that are appreciated for the great work they do.
Well, today is the day! As of April 11, 2012 The Physio Co family has more than 50 members. Woohoo!! The Physio Co Painted Picture is coming to life.
Welcome to new TPCers May & Adrian who joined us today & helped us hit our milestone.
Thanks so much to everyone at The Physio Co for believing in our vision and helping bring it to life. Weâve achieved this goal 264 days early, and it feels fantastic!!
Yep, we’ve hit our goals and we’re celebrating (TPCers - please check your mailboxes for a little pressie; Jess - thanks for the awesome cake!)
The Physio Co family is a fun and exciting place to work. Â Stay tuned for even more of our Painted Picture of 2012 goals to come true in the next few months…
5 reasons why entrepreneurial CEO’s should work from home
This is part of the weekly ‘Ask Tristan’ series. If you have a question, please email me: asktristan@thephysioco.com.au
Q: Dear Tristan, I’m CEO of a fast growing business and I’ve heard that you work from home, is that true? If so, why do you do it? How do you do it? And what impact do you think it has on your team? I’d love to work from home but I’ve no idea how to do it. Please fill me in - EK
A: Dear EK,
Yep, I sure do work from home 3-4 days every week and have been for the past 18 months. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Here’s how I’ve made it happen..
For the first five years of running The Physio Co I thought that I needed to be in the office every single day. I thought I needed to be there earlier than everyone else and I thought I needed to stay later. I was the leader. I needed to be there. My team needed me to be there. So I spent almost every waking hour either in our support office or on the road with team members and clients. The result: I was exhausted and I was stuck. I’d built myself a job that wasn’t fun anymore. I’d even recruited my sister, my best mate and my fiance to help me handle the amazing complexity that I’d created! Something had to change.
Culture is the Key
In 2009, I stumbled upon the idea of creating a ‘values-based business’. That moment changed my life and was the start of my journey to working from home.
A values-based business is one that focuses on continually building a stronger culture by obsessing over a small set of core values. By building a stronger culture I have been able to share the leadership load with many other people and create a sustainable business that could exist without me. Our core purpose & core values are the basis for how we all now run The Physio Co.
Start Slowly
My journey to working from home has been a gradual one. In 2009 & 2010, I worked from home 1 day per week. For most of 2011, it was 2-3 days a week. In 2012 I work from home 3-4 days every week (which means I get to see KW and Little Alex for lunch almost every day).
Communicate Often
One of the biggest challenges for all businesses is communication. This is the case whether the CEO works from home or from the office. To overcome this challenge, I communicate with The Physio Co team both in our support office and in the field many times every day. We use the phone, Skype, FaceTime, Google Apps & sometimes email. We have a disciplined meeting rhythm with clear agendas. We also schedule ‘incidental communication’ to happen regularly. Communication is the key to successfully creating a values-based business and being able to work from home.
Enjoy the Benefits
The result of me working from home is that The Physio Co is a stronger, more sustainable and more successful business. There is no longer one person getting in the way and making every decision. There is a committed family of people all doing fantastic work that fulfils our core purpose ‘to help oldies stay mobile, safe & happy’ (in 2012 we will deliver 100,000 unique & memorable physiotherapy visits to Australian aged care residents). Personally, I’m happier, healthier, more inspired and more creative than I’ve ever been. And I get to spend much more time with my family, which makes the hard work even more worthwhile.
Not convinced? Here are a few more reasons to consider:
5 reasons why entrepreneurial CEO’s should work from home..
- Creates a sustainable business. As a leader, it’s your job to create an environment where great things can happen. That environment needs to exist whether you’re there or not. When managers get out of the way and trust their team to make decisions as if they own the business, that’s when great things really happen.
- Improves focus. The CEO’s job, is on vision, values and alignment. Not operations. Passionate entrepreneurial CEO’s care about every team member and every client - sometimes we care too much! Working from home helps you focus on the your job and stops you from interfering.
- Improves creativity. Entrepreneurial CEO’s combine art with science to create opportunities. Solitude can be a great environment for learning & creating. The distraction of the day-to-day operations in your office: not so creative.
- Improves your work/life balance. No commute, lunch with your family, leave the office and be on your bike or out for a run in minutes. You will add years to your life and a smile to your face.
- Works for Branson. Richard Branson has been working from home for years and he swears by it. He loves the time for himself, time with his family & he reckons it helps him delegate more.
What do you think? Are you willing to commit to creating a business that can exist when you’re not around? Or maybe you already work from home, if so, how do you make it happen? I’d love to read your ideas. Please leave a quick comment below.
Why you MUST have core values in your vision
Core values, the 3-5 behaviours that define a company culture, are a critical part of any long term vision.
At The Physio Co our four core values are described in detail on page three of our Painted Picture of 2012. One entire page of this six page vision is dedicated to our core values. Why? Because our Painted Picture is designed to share the future of The Physio Co and attract people that are aligned to where we are headed.
A commitment to live The Physio Co’s four core values every day is the common link that every member of The Physio Co family shares. Therefore, the core values are the thread that aligns our team to our vision.
Core values are the building blocks or the foundation of any great company. Include them in your vision and make your dreams come to life.
A weekEND in the life of a CEO.. Half Ironman Edition!
In short, here’s what’s happening this weekEND March 17-18. I’m..
Competing - in my first long course triathlon at Portarlington on Sunday. Wish me luck!
Hanging - with Little Alex on Saturday; AND
Cheering - for KW in a pre-season netball tournament on Phillip Island
(Thanks Jess & Sandra from The Physio Co who sent me this email today to wish me luck for the tri!)
Earlier this week I’ve been…
Finalising - the design for the new tristanwhite.com.au site (it’ll go live very soon..)
Learning - from Jim Collins, Verne Harnish, Fred Reichheld & Halle Bock at The Growth Faculty’s National Growth Summit in Sydney on Weds & Thurs.
Asking again - please help me share The Physio Co Culture Book. Please send or give it to at least one person you think might like it. Print it, email it, share it on facebook, tweet it, blog about it but please share it just once. Thanks for your help :)
What are you up to this weekend?
Help! Someone is polluting my team culture
This is part of the weekly ‘Ask Tristan’ series. If you have a question, please email me: asktristan@thephysioco.com.au
_________________
Q: Dear Tristan, I’m a new manager & I’ve been working hard for the past 6 months to build a strong culture in our growing team. It’s going really well, except for one thing: I have a long-term team member who’s not participating. This person turns up late to our huddles, is never prepared for meetings and nearly always finds a reason to complain. I’ve tried coaching and providing honest feedback, but nothing seems to work. What should I do? - TJ
A: Dear TJ,
Awesome work on committing to build a strong culture. That’s one of the smartest decisions you’ll ever make :)
Now, building a strong family culture starts with selection. Jim Collins taught us about getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off and everyone in the right seats in Good to Great. It seems that this troublesome person you speak of is in one of two categories:
- Is on the wrong bus; or
- Is in the wrong seat.
Either way, something needs to change. (And I’d bet that this person knows something needs to happen and is waiting for you to bring it up).
As a leader, it takes courage to commit to building a strong culture. It takes even more courage to remove people that don’t fit. However, it is one of your most important jobs.
You need to make an honest assessment of this person and decide where is the best place for them. And the best place could well be in another seat or on someone else’s team.
Whatever you decide, be focussed on the future of your team, be honest with your communication and be respectful of that persons feelings. In my experience, changes like these nearly always result in more energy for your team and an even stronger culture once the change is made.
Trust your intuition and treat people as you’d like to be treated.
Good luck,
Tristan
A week in the life of a CEO.. Culture book edition
In short, here’s what’s on for this week March 6-12. I’m..
Excited - by sharing The Physio Co Culture Book with the world. Grab your free ebook copy here.
Asking - you to please help me share The Physio Co Culture Book. Please send or give it to at least one person you think might like it. Print it, email it, share it on facebook, tweet it, blog about it but please share it just once. Thanks for your help :)
Recovering - from the tough 2km event at the Phillip Island Swim Classic yesterday. (I swallowed far too much water in the choppy conditions!)
Writing - TPC Talk, my fortnightly newsletter to The Physio Co team.
Attending - my last session on becoming a better presenter with Communicators Melbourne (it’s been awesome!)
Heading - to a full day Jack Daly ‘Growing Sales by Design & Culture’ learning event on Thursday.
Excited - by the wedding of good friends Sheena & Mike this Sunday.
Training - 3 hours in the pool, 9.5 on the bike & 6.5 hours on foot this week. Only 9 weeks until Ironman Australia!
Hoping - our little Alex will remember how to get herself to sleep again soon :)
What are you up to this week?
A week in the life of a CEO.. Culture book edition
In short, here’s what’s on for this week March 6-12. I’m..
Excited - by sharing The Physio Co Culture Book with the world. Grab your free ebook copy here.
Asking - you to please help me share The Physio Co Culture Book. Please send or give it to at least one person you think might like it. Print it, email it, share it on facebook, tweet it, blog about it but please share it just once. Thanks for your help :)
Recovering - from the tough 2km event at the Phillip Island Swim Classic yesterday. (I swallowed far too much water in the choppy conditions!)
Writing - TPC Talk, my fortnightly newsletter to The Physio Co team.
Attending - my last session on becoming a better presenter with Communicators Melbourne (it’s been awesome!)
Heading - to a full day Jack Daly ‘Growing Sales by Design & Culture’ learning event on Thursday.
Excited - by the wedding of good friends Sheena & Mike this Sunday.
Training - 3 hours in the pool, 9.5 on the bike & 6.5 hours on foot this week. Only 9 weeks until Ironman Australia!
Hoping - our little Alex will remember how to get herself to sleep again soon :)
What are you up to this week?
