Hi All,
Every Friday I work from Lamb Island and as I sit, looking out over the bay towards Stradbroke Island, I am able to gather my thoughts in a way almost impossible in the “busyness” of day to day operations.
I sit here thinking back to comments made to me through the week by many of you. These days I spend little time on Reception or out on the floor and could feel further and further away from the coal face of the business. Once upon a time, forty years ago, it really was just me and I was into everything from the planning, organising, implementing and innovating. I was saturated in people-contact which helped me form the ideas I developed in relation to what I wanted Green Apple to provide and who I wanted to be able to help.
These days I have three main ways of gathering information on three areas important to me. First, what we need to be providing. Second, how successfully we are doing this and third, what the Green Apple Team are doing and thinking as they deliver it.
I stay up to date with what really is needed by doing as many of the new client interviews, the Initial Consultations, as possible because it is only by understanding people’s needs and the challenges they face, that you can introduce potential friendly pathways to help their journey.
I also read medical research to stay current in what conditions are responding positively to physical activity.
The comments you make to me or that are reported to me by the Team are what keep me on track in relation to how you feel about Green Apple. On Thursday when I was filling in on Reception for a sick staff member, a male member leaving after his workout was scooting out, got to the doorway, turned around to me and said “coming to this place has been one of the best things I have ever done!” And basically said good work for setting it all up. And then Reevesey came in to go out into the gym to meet up with his group of Merry Men and said a similar thing.
And sitting here, recalling how I felt then, it makes all the hard work over the past 40 years worth it.
And the third area of importance to me is what is going on at the coal face and how are the Team feeling about it. That is why the constant reporting to me from them all daily, or weekly in the case of the exercise physiologists, keeps my brain open to so much that my eyes and ears actually don’t witness or see. The “little birdy” phenomenon. Precious precious communication helped along by the weekly Team meeting Tuesday at 11am.
So if you feel in good hands here at Green Apple, believe it. The framework surrounding you is very solid and supportive. It is all designed to help you keep on track and stay as healthy and functional as possible.
Cheers
