On this particular day, I was struck by the clear and pristine beauty of Middleton Beach, while just across the peninsula, much of our South Australian coast is struggling under a toxic algal bloom.
It got me thinking about the different workplace cultures I encounter through my coaching work. Some are clear, positive, and energising, with a healthy, forward rhythm like the Middleton’s waves. Others feel murky, stagnant, and even unsafe, much like parts of our Gulf at the moment.

So, what can you do if you’re a leader trying to make a positive impact within a toxic workplace?

1. Reset expectations around behaviour and accountability:
   Be clear about what good looks like. Involve your people in defining the standards and hold everyone, including leaders, accountable.
2. Model the behaviours you want to see:
   Demonstrate respect, openness, and integrity. Have the courage to call out toxic behaviours, even when they appear in your peers or those above you.
3. Ramp up your self-care:
   Toxic environments can take a toll. Prioritise exercise, rest, and positive social connections outside of work. Without strong self-care, it’s easy to become part of the problem.
4. Focus on what you can influence:
   Change what you can, accept what you can’t, and stay clear about the difference. Influence grows from clarity, not frustration.
5. Know when to move on:
   If the culture has reached a point of no return, look outward. Find your own “patch of coast” – the environment that allows you to thrive and lead in alignment with your values. Sometimes, it’s just across the peninsula.

Even in toxic waters, renewal is possible. But it starts with courageous leadership and a clear commitment to creating safer, healthier currents.

Jo Saies

pbperformance.com.au

I start with the lowlights – the things that didn’t go to plan, that challenged me, that created pain or hardship, and I acknowledge that these are inevitable components of what it means to be human.

I follow-up with my highlights – surprises, unexpected good outcomes, achievements I’ve worked hard towards, people that have given me strength and support, and all the ways in which I’ve lived my passion and purpose. I make sure that for every lowlight, I come up with three highlights, to create a sense of positivity and help counteract any negative emotions arising from the lowlights.

Reflecting on my highlights puts me in a creative, positive and open state, which is great for generating new awareness, thinking and perspectives. How am I seeing things differently now compared to a year ago? What lessons have the lowlights taught me? What new strengths have emerged in me that helped create my highlights? What do I know about myself that I hadn’t been aware of before? What has changed in how I see myself, how I respond to others, or how I see the world around me? Is there one big truth that I will now try to live by?

Sometimes I’ll take myself down to the beach, to a nice park or to my favourite coffee shop to reflect. Some years I just sit outside in the sun with a bit of music in the background. Sometimes I like to be in a busy place full of life and atmosphere, other times I’d rather be somewhere peaceful on my own. And there are years where I write all my thoughts in a journal, and others where I just sit and purposefully ponder. Experiment and choose the style and setting that works best for you. And if so inclined, for an extra boost of positivity and connection, share your key lowlights, highlights and insights with someone important to you.

A lowlight for me in 2020 was being mistreated by an employer I had given my heart and soul to. Highlights included a weekend diving with the giant cuttlefish, joining a ukulele band, and completing my Advanced Coaching Training. And my key insights? I’ve shared some of them throughout the year – act on what’s most important, be kind and stay connected. I think my one big truth for the year is that we are less in control that we think – goals and plans are important but we need to keep a light grip on our attachment to them, as we just don’t know what’s around the next corner.

Jo Saies

pbperformance.com.au

All my face to face training has been cancelled
Coaching provides a deeper and more personal learning experience than many group training programs; the coaching agenda is set by the client based on what they need at the time, rather than a pre-set group learning agenda that may or may not be relevant to every participant.

I’m working from home, I’ll have to wait till I get back to the office for any development
Coaching sessions can be arranged at any time and from anywhere that suits you. If you have a private space, whether its at your home office, in your garden or walking along the beach, we can coach.

I’m Zoomed out – please, no more staring at little people on a screen!
Me too. It’s draining physically and mentally if you’re trying to run group meetings or participate in on-line learning all day. One on one coaching can be done via any video call platform that works for you, using your favourite portable device, and means you’re just focusing in on one other person. Not such a strain on the eyes or brain – or ditch the camera completely and just use the audio, tapping into deep listening skills.

I’m completely pre-occupied in keeping the business afloat, I don’t have time for development
This is exactly the time for development; there is no road map to guide us through a pandemic, so we need the skills to lead, manage and work within a completely uncertain and rapidly changing world. We also need resilience more than ever coaching can help maintain both performance and well-being even during a crisis.

I’m overwhelmed with challenges
It can be hard to work out what to do and in what order during a crisis, we’re so busy reacting to the next challenge, everyone is expecting things from us, we’re constantly second guessing, and may be plagued with self-doubt. Now is the time to get some support to help plan, prioritise and get back on the front foot.

Work has slowed right down, I’m finding it hard to know how to productively use my time
This is a great opportunity to use the time to focus on your own personal, professional and career development; identify some development goals, grab yourself a coach and use the time to develop your capability.

I’ve been stood down temporarily while the business gets back on its feet
This is a difficult time socially and emotionally, our self-worth can take a battering, and it can be easy to lose hope and motivation; working with a coach at this time can help to formulate some achievable goals and provide the support and motivation you need to get back on track.

I’m desperately missing human connection
Coaching, apart from all its other benefits, offers deep and genuine engagement with another human being. Coaching validates our sense of who we are, nourishes the soul and satisfies our need for authentic human connection. Who wants some of that?

What are you waiting for? Now is your opportunity. Now is the time!

For a confidential conversation about how coaching can support you right now, Contact Jo

Jo Saies

pbperformance.com.au

There’s loads being written at the moment – words of wisdom on staying safe, remaining healthy, being positive, coping with isolation, filling in time, and keeping connected while we grapple with a world-wide crisis. Please choose carefully what you listen to and what you read in order to keep informed and to manage your personal and our shared challenges.

Rather than add to the volume of words, I’ve distilled my thoughts down to three simple messages; An ABC if you like:

A             Act on what is important
We can’t do everything. The external restrictions placed on every one of us mean we actually can’t do many things. So we have a choice. We need to focus on only the things that are most important, those things that support our most basic core values, and act on those.

B             Be thoughtful
Everything we do and say impacts on others – the people closest to us (both physically and socially), our community and ultimately across the globe. Remember the butterfly effect (derived from the metaphorical example of a tornado being traced back to a butterfly flapping its wings on the other side of the globe). Think about how your actions will affect others, and do what you can to make sure that impact is positive, or at the very least, not negative.

C             Connect
If the crisis has taught us anything, it’s the importance of connection. Our species survives and thrives through physical, social, emotional and intellectual connectivity and interdependence. Connection is the core of well-being. With everything else stripped away, we now have the opportunity to make deeper, more regular and more thoughtful connections to build and sustain more nurturing and fulfilling relationships.

On the days when I wake up and wonder how we’re going to get ourselves out of this, I can feel despondent and overwhelmed. So my touchstone is my ABC – Act on what’s important; Be thoughtful; Connect. That’s me doing what I can, no more, no less, to be part of the solution. And so then I feel a bit more hopeful. Hopeful that not only will we all get through this, but we’ll actually come out the other side better for it. And I feel hopeful that this pandemic could just be the circuit breaker the world needs to stop us burning ourselves out.

Jo Saies

pbperformance.com.au