Blue Mercury - Leadership

Blue Mercury - Leadership Connect with Blue Mercury Leadership. We are building a social movement to inspire awesome people!

We focus all decisions around our clients, and what is right for them –
concentrating on our three core values -
individual growth, team cohesiveness and organisational prosperity

Sometimes a message just stops you in your tracks.I was out for a run (not my strongest talent, let’s be honest) when a ...
07/09/2025

Sometimes a message just stops you in your tracks.

I was out for a run (not my strongest talent, let’s be honest) when a friend texted:
“Are you ok? Or are you being chased?”

I cracked up.
And I kept laughing for the rest of my run.

It reminded me of something I saw in the Chris Hemsworth documentary. Smiling and laughing through pain can literally make it feel lighter.
Shifting your emotional state shifts the experience.

I’m never going to be a great runner.

But I can choose to bring humour and joy into the struggle.
And that makes the tough bits not only bearable, but actually enjoyable.

Where have you found laughter makes the hard stuff easier?

The beautiful Workplace Rituals deck from and arrived in the post today – and even Pepper is a fan!!From the thoughtfu...
04/09/2025

The beautiful Workplace Rituals deck from and arrived in the post today – and even Pepper is a fan!!

From the thoughtful, fully recyclable packaging to the way every detail of the customer experience has been considered, it’s clear how much love and care has gone into this.

I am so proud of their mahi!!

I can already see how these cards will spark meaningful conversations about the rituals that shape our workplaces – the little things that connect us, ground us, and keep culture alive.

Sometimes the tools we use are as inspiring as the work we do with them!!

I'm interested...

❓What’s a ritual you’ve seen make a real difference in your workplace?

In small communities, some teams hold everything together.I worked with a group like this, the kind of people whose work...
02/09/2025

In small communities, some teams hold everything together.

I worked with a group like this, the kind of people whose work might not make headlines but whose presence is vital every single day.

We used the Emotional Culture Deck to pause and ask: How do we want to feel at work, so we can serve others well?

What struck me was the honesty.

It wasn’t about lofty ideals, but about naming the everyday emotions that fuel their service: pride, calm, connection, even joy.

And also acknowledging the feelings they want to avoid, the ones that get in the way of showing up fully.

The shift came when they realised that looking after their own emotional culture isn’t selfish.

It is the foundation for the care and service they give to others.

It left me wondering: in your team...
what emotions help you show up best for the people you serve?

31/08/2025

Another notebook, filled and finished.

This one’s full of coaching notes.
Everyone I work with gets a page.

It’s not tidy. My spelling goes out the window, the scrawl is quick and messy. But that’s the beauty of my Input strength – capturing everything as it comes, gathering ideas and reflections in the moment.

For me, the act of writing isn’t about creating something polished.

It’s about collecting, noticing, storing.

Then I can close the book, knowing those thoughts are safe, ready to be drawn on later if needed.

Input is often described as a hunger for collecting – facts, stories, experiences, even random trivia. For me, these notebooks are how I make sense of that hunger in my coaching practice. A private archive where messy notes turn into meaningful insights.

I'm interested to know...

What do you do with all the ideas you gather?
Do you capture them, let them flow, or keep them locked away for later?

Our attention always goes to what we focus on.A couple of weeks ago, I played the Rottnest Island Golf Course – a unique...
28/08/2025

Our attention always goes to what we focus on.

A couple of weeks ago, I played the Rottnest Island Golf Course – a unique mix of sandy fairways, native bush… and the occasional water hazard.

In the photo, there’s just one small piece of water.... you can see it...

Guess where I managed to put two balls straight off the tee?

It’s a good reminder – in golf, business, and life – that when we fixate on the obstacle, we often end up right in it.

The trick is to focus on where you want to go instead.

(and... in this case, lay up... and appreciate you've just paid $5 for 4 used balls...)

One of the most moving activities at the Facilitators Festival I went to a couple of weeks ago was deceptively simple.1....
26/08/2025

One of the most moving activities at the Facilitators Festival I went to a couple of weeks ago was deceptively simple.

1. We partnered up.

2. We each named a challenge we were carrying.

3. And then, here’s the twist, our partner gave us a “gift” in return.
It could be anything: tangible, intangible, real, imagined.

This was the gift given to me...

(anyone who knows me, knows this is a very punchy, and appropriate gift...)

What struck me is how something offered in just a few words, with genuine intent, can shift perspective so deeply.

It reminded me that in facilitation (and in leadership), we do not always need to bring the answer. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is offer a gift of perspective, of encouragement, of possibility.

So I will pass this gift on here.

I hope it lands with someone who needs it.

If you could give one gift to someone facing a challenge right now,
what would yours be?

Sometimes in sales training, the focus is all on closing techniques and targets.....you know, the “always be closing” ki...
24/08/2025

Sometimes in sales training, the focus is all on closing techniques and targets.....you know, the “always be closing” kind of BS nonsense...

But in this customer experience session, the real shift happened when the team started thinking first about how they wanted customers to feel - and then worked backwards to embed that into their techniques and processes.

These conversations aren't just about selling more.

They are about caring enough to design every interaction so customers walk away feeling valued, understood, and confident in their choice.

Once they connected the dots between emotions and actions, the changes stopped feeling theoretical. They became practical, real, and ready to implement.

It’s a good reminder: sales isn’t just about what you do. It’s about how it makes people feel.

That’s what they remember.



Change Begins with Conversation. Transform uncertainty into clarity. The Emotional Culture Deck helps teams open up, share concerns, and co-create change that sticks. Learn more: www.ridersandelephants.com/the-emotional-culture-deck

A week on, I’m still sitting with the richness of the Facilitators Festival -Facilitation Matters.It was my first time t...
21/08/2025

A week on, I’m still sitting with the richness of the Facilitators Festival -Facilitation Matters.

It was my first time there, and from the moment I arrived I felt welcomed into a community that genuinely understands the craft (and the courage) it takes to hold space for others.

The theme was Going Deep.

As facilitators, it can be tempting to skim the surface - stay safe, stay comfortable.

But what struck me over the course of the Festival was how much possibility opens up when we trust ourselves and others enough to go further.

Deeper conversations, deeper listening, deeper connection.

That depth isn’t always easy.

It asks us to slow down, to sit with silence, to risk vulnerability.
Yet it’s in those moments that the real shifts happen.

I left with a renewed reminder that my role isn’t to make things easy - it’s to create the safety that allows people to go deep, even when it feels hard.

One week later, the Festival conversations are still echoing.
That, to me, is the sign of something truly worthwhile.

For those of you who were there — what has stayed with you since?

Turned up to a “small” workshop expecting 10 people.Walked into 40+.The purpose was to set the parameters for Customer E...
19/08/2025

Turned up to a “small” workshop expecting 10 people.
Walked into 40+.

The purpose was to set the parameters for Customer Experience and a future sales training programme – to get everyone looking at the big picture before we zoom in.

We got there – alignment on what’s needed and a shared sense of direction. But it reminded me of something important:

- Always ask more questions before you step into the room

- Make sure everyone has the context before they arrive

- Build in enough time for the conversation you really need to have

When I ask my customers lots of questions before I get there, it isn't to be painful, finickity or pedantic...

Preparation isn’t just about me as the facilitator – it’s about making sure everyone has what they need to bring their best thinking.

Sometimes the surprises are great.
Sometimes they’re just a reminder to prepare better next time....



Let’s flip what the world feels. Check out The Emotional Culture Deck – the #1 game for better workplace culture. Use it to create and amplify human conversations about what matters in the workplace, .Join our mission here: www.ridersandelephants.com/the-emotional-culture-deck

Some people change the entire course of your life.For me, one of those people was a fellow coach in the network I was pa...
18/08/2025

Some people change the entire course of your life.

For me, one of those people was a fellow coach in the network I was part of.

She wasn’t just a colleague.

She became someone I deeply looked up to. She had this rare ability to challenge me in ways that stretched my thinking, while also showing genuine care. She asked the tough questions, held the mirror up, and reminded me of the bigger picture when I got stuck in the weeds.

Much of what my business is today has its roots in the encouragement, wisdom, and provocation she offered in those conversations.

This week, heartbreakingly, she passed away. Far too young. Leaving behind her family, and a wide circle of coaches and leaders who will feel her absence deeply.

What I keep returning to is this: the best coaches don’t just shape sessions, they shape people. Their impact is woven into the way we work, the way we lead, and the way we show up for others.

In te ao Māori, whakapapa reminds us that we are part of an unbroken line - connected to those who came before and those who will follow. I know she still stands on my shoulders, guiding me forward, and that her legacy will continue to ripple through the work I do.

Her influence is part of me now.
And I’m grateful.

17/08/2025

Work-life balance isn’t just about hours on and hours off.

It’s about spending more of your day using your strengths - operating in that space where you do your best thinking, connecting, and creating.

Once you know your strengths you can spot them and be intentional about using them.

When you’re working from your strengths, it’s like a train ride with the sea out the window. You’re moving forward with ease, energy flows, and the journey feels as rewarding as the destination.

And when you play to your strengths, you don’t just thrive - the people around you do too, and everything seems just a little easier and more joyous.

When I stepped out of the tourism industry, I thought my days of 'tourism perks' in a work context were over.This month,...
12/08/2025

When I stepped out of the tourism industry, I thought my days of 'tourism perks' in a work context were over.

This month, I’ve been in Perth working with a client – and it’s been a perfect reminder that work and wonder can still go hand in hand.

In between workshops and meetings, and running a NZ and Perth time zone calendar at the same time.... I hopped on the ferry to Rottnest Island to meet its most famous residents – the quokkas.

And they didn’t disappoint!

It’s a joy to be able to combine meaningful work with experiences that spark curiosity, connection, and a little bit of adventure.

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