Alan Seabrook
I run a hospitality company and am interested in broadening my skills and knowledge to become a more effective leader. Looking to harness new business opportunities within the Sydney market.
Location Sydney Australia
Activity
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
FROM PREVIOUS TASK: I have chosen Michael Jordan (ex Chicago Bulls). Led the team to great heights and victories over a period of years in the 90's. A great role model for children, encouraging young people to play basketball and sport in general. Inspirational leader with his tireless go get it attitude and never give up mentality.
AFTER REFLECTION: That's...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I have chosen Michael Jordan (ex Chicago Bulls). Led the team to great heights and victories over a period of years in the 90's. A great role model for children, encouraging young people to play basketball and sport in general. Inspirational leader with his tireless go get it attitude and never give up mentality.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I chose Sir Richard Branson, as for me being English have a strong connection with everything he does in business and in life. A good role model and proponent for startup companies too. On reading the Bio of Jack Ma it is not hard to see why he polls the highest.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
My first leader is Mick Jagger, leader and rock legend of the rolling stones for over 40 years. He has successfully led the band for over 50 years.
Coming in at number two is Sir Winston Churchill who led the the British nation through some of its most turbulent war times in recent UK history.
My third is the Dalai Lama; on of the most inspiring leaders of... -
Alan Seabrook made a comment
Leadership is about motivating and leading a team in order to achieve a common goal, project or a set of tasks within the company.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
The 3 c's make perfect sense in an online learning environment> I think getting involved is a great way to share with others; learning, experience and ideas.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I wish to strengthen my role as a leader and seek a greater understanding of what leadership truely is.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Leadership for me is about empowering your employees to make good decisions, encourage debate and communication for the common good of the company. To be a motivator and to lead by example. Have strong empathy and create core values for the business.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Really enjoyed the course, ease to follow and well laid out. Have spurred me on do do more!
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I have found the course has opened up my eyes, having not considered the aspects that make up and entrepreneur.
It has changed the way I think and there is a common theme which is that of "reflection". This seems to be an important part of the process and one I will spend more time with. I will also work on creating more value in our company. -
Alan Seabrook made a comment
All these amazing people have charisma and charm, they have success on their faces in in their eyes. Highly confident and why shouldn't they be. These five people and are known by the whole world for their achievements which we recognise as entrepreneurship.
So if I had a $100 bill, I could buy some Ben & Jerry's ice cream, go watch a Walt Disney Movie,...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I have never considered myself as an entrepreneur, even though I have started businesses before and indeed have them now. I do not believe labels benefit in anyway. It does however identify us and arm us with the logic that we generally associate entrepreneurs as highly successful people. Steve Jobs, Sir Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos etc.
I...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I think being a social entrepreneur and starting a social enterprise would be very close to the heart of that person. One could consider OZHarvest in Australia a good example of a social enterprise. Organising quality waste food and delivering/donating it to where it is need most in the community. The business has many volunteers and is now considered a global...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Pixar put three initiatives in place to encourage Intrapreneurship: (Catmull, 2008)
1. Everyone must have the freedom to communicate with anyone.
2. It must be safe for everyone to offer ideas.
3. It is important to stay close to innovations happening in the academic community.The key to success for Pixar has been to “construct an environment that...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Its all about risk and how much you are willing to risk when starting a business or indeed running one. It is easy to sit back 9-5 as stated and have a regular income coming in. For those that take the plunge and start a business, it can be nerve racking at first until confidence builds, then your risk should start to see rewards as relationships form.
One...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
The chicken coop story highlights the social value that can be created and the flow on effects from that. I feel the emotional and educational side of this coupled with the feeling of well-being, in some points can be seen as transformational.
It can lift or even change a way a community thinks about certain things. Having the ability of bringing people...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Naturally being in the hospitality space, there is a lot of social value created within the type of work that we do. Also creating an opportunity to donate surplus foods when we have them. We also supply foods to some charities that we support. I think social value creation is important as it creates a sense of well-being for all stakeholders.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I think for me it is a combination of wealth creation (and living well), bettering the community and providing employment for others. There is much freedom from being your own person, thinking about company direction or which path to take next.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I believe the motivation for innovation behind entrepreneurs is driven by a will to succeed, create change and make a difference. High in confidence and willing to push the boundaries in their respective field.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
A good week. Understanding the relationship between value creation and entrepreneurs gives me a clearer picture. As does looking at entrepreneurship as a set of traits.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
For myself the intended outcome is to broaden my entrepreneurial range within my own company, having started three business ventures. Now is the time to work on the business as a whole, create more value, look into new markets and find effective and efficient ways of doing business.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Yes I do think there are universal traits of an entrepreneur. Based on the Get2test. I can see from my own score of 76% that there is a common thread that entrepreneurs have that would score them perhaps higher. It is a willingness not to settle for the mediocre, to push where others may not go, to continue where others have failed and rally when faced with...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I think entrepreneurship is a process that allows them to complete a set of tasks in order to achieve the desired outcome.
The entrepreneurship process mainly involves
1. Innovation; The great idea or gap in the market
2. Decision making and planning; map it out and seek resources for the project
3. Project creation; bring it to life, finance, invest,... -
Alan Seabrook made a comment
I think an entrepreneur will do everything in their power to get things going. The start up activities for an entrepreneur involve doing everything from scratch.
Case in point is Steve Jobs, started the business in a garage with his mates, involved in the whole process, product, marketing as well as raising capital to get the ball rolling and on to the...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
To me, value creation is both social and economic, whilst adding value to a company by creating innovative products or services that lead to increased revenues and profits. The social I see as how value benefits society and the economic as the impact the value has on society.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I believe these approaches are still relevant today. I think the sociological perspective would be a strong point for entrepreneurs as the relationship between all stakeholders is critical to adding value to a company.
The psychological aspect of entrepreneurs may be enhanced by social media. Whilst entrepreneurs such As Sir Richard Branson have built a...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Innovation degrees
I have chosen the radical innovation of online ordering for products and services in the hospitality sector. Traditionally this had been done manually by sending an email or calling a company to get a quote, product or service. Online ordering is challenging the way we think about products or services.Innovation type
This is a position... -
Alan Seabrook made a comment
Innovation and entrepreneurship go hand in hand, both require each other in order to succeed.
Innovation needs entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship needs innovation. I think this is important as innovations may get stuck "as an idea" without entrepreneurs.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I think for a long time in days past, innovation whether incremental, radical or disruptive existed to the extent of the pace of life and the state of technology at the time. All these stages of innovation I see as market driven or demand driven. In today's fast paced consumer environment, I see innovation as the key to success and to leveraging or retaining...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I can see that a lot of people introduce themselves and what they do. I think that most entrepreneurs (certainly ones I have met) do not call themselves entrepreneurs, but rather give off an air of confidence in business by what they do, are doing or have achieved.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Alan Seabrook here. I have operated a business for some years within the hospitality field. As an outcome of the current climate, I feel it necessary to reevaluate, rethink and re energise!
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
An entrepreneur in my mind is someone who has the confidence to take an idea, give it life and push it forward. Has the ability to stay calm, be able to make risk taking decisions. Highly motivated leader with strong vision that also motivates the people around them to go on the journey with them.
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I think this style of learning suits people with a busy lifestyle. Being able to pick the eyes out of courses that are of interest is great. Well laid out easy to follow format. Well done.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I have enjoyed the course and has taught me that to be an effective company in business, strategic thinking is key. I have reflected a lot on my journey within my own company, and the importance of leadership strategy in order to create change. I will apply what I now know and build on this to create a bigger future.
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My comments from 1.4 still remain the same. I do have a greater understanding of just what it takes for a company to win, be consistent in their approach, evolve and change to stay ahead. I think there is a strong correlation between Leadership strength, strategy and purpose in creating a thriving company.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Comments on Padlet "i think" on OzHarvest.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
As a large global company, Olay have lost touch with the changing market and buying patterns of the younger generation. Moving in the right direction by streamlining products and brands will help them regain market share. I do not believe Olay are alone in this as many companies particularly in retail struggle to meet the needs of a fast paced consumer market....
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
In the play to win model, the five steps seem logical in guiding a company the the direction of what they are trying to achieve.
Example for my company might be;
1. Would like to be the market leader in healthy food catering products
2. Aimed at the corporate market for staff to stay healthy whilst at work by eating our healthy foods.
3. The driver will... -
Alan Seabrook made a comment
Being a small business owner, most of our strategies come from a single source “the owners”. Whilst not formally recognising this as a step by step strategy or process, it’s just what we do “play to win” and plan actions that get us there.
I think larger organisations would involve all levels of management in every step of the play to win strategy. To...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I remember Nokia phones; I had one, a flip top. Back then they were fantastic. I had a brick when they first came out from Motorola too. An example of how new technologies can quickly change. Nokia had an amazing rise in success of their phone business. People generally respond to change in a consumer market. Nokia failed to see this. Apple created concepts...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Sears main problem was too much debt within a company that had annual ongoing losses in a rapidly changing market. With the onset of Amazon the online retail revolution began. They became out of touch with the new emerging markets and ways that people wanted to shop. Their drift was in trying to shore up the company by making cost and store reductions. As...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I think Apple is the best example for complete transformational change as they grew and moved through different phases of business. The period without Steve Jobs placed the company in strategic drift then in a state of flux as the company grappled to stay alive. Then on his return as CEO after Apple bought neXT, major transformational change took place as the...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
One example springs to mind. That of PIE FACE, the Australian born fast paced and highly financed franchise chain, went into administration for a number of reasons. A lack of focus on operations, i.e. Not focused on selling food, high rents up to 25% of sales and higher than expected food costs. The company at the time seemed hell bent on selling the...
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McDonald's as expressed in other comments has to be at the top of strong connections between strategy and operations, as they have managed to build a unique customer focused operation that has the ability to change when market forces change (i.e. customer wanting health food options).
An example on the disconnection side is Kmart in the USA. Where seemingly...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Within my industry, the hospitality sector is particularly affected by external forces from Covid-19. This has caused many restaurants and caterers to quickly rethink their business strategy to stay alive. Aside from any government support, companies have adapted their business model for takeaway meals and other services, utilising food ordering and delivery...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Following on from last week, I am looking forward to the topics this week. Learning how to apply them based on knowledge learnt thus far.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Thanks for the learning experience, really interesting to actually realise that our past is the best link to the future. I found the lifeline exercise really good a valuable. As suggested rather than a jumble of memories, I now have some clarity from the past.
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I would like to think I could become a servant leader, as I find this is in line with my core values in general life. I believe as far as my current leadership skills go I would place myself in the command and control type. Maybe based on my life in the hospitality industry where hierarchy can rule.
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Julie is a great role model showing true leadership values. It’s really empowering to see a company with such self-belief. A belief in brands, products and most of all its’ people that work there. Placing people first and pushing them forward is empowering them to thrive and believe. I think it is a long journey for any company to achieve this and getting the...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Leadership purpose: “hunt down opportunities, creating change to thrive”
5 yrs
Double revenue (pre Covid figures), realign company for sale
Create new challenges3 yrs
Be a strong leader
Work on the numbers; build strong revenues (lower costs)
Seek long term opportunities
Spend time on self (thinking, reflecting)2 yrs
Check Game Plan progress;... -
Alan Seabrook made a comment
My mother was a Sales Rep and used to have left over products. I loved taking them to school and selling them for profit. Also running with friends on the sandbanks for miles, free with no cares in the world.
Being a part of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, helping to manage catering for 5 meals a day for 3,000 NBC staff in 13 locations across Sydney. Logistics...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
First off the Mind Tools site, wow, packed with great reading and learning opportunities (will be spending sometime there. Scoring 65 is ok for me as I realise my weakness being effective communication, so need to work on emotional intelligence. No problem with being positive and am highly motivated. In this current down time for my business, I am busy looking...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
When I look at my lifeline and using the experiential learning model, I realised that my whole life has been based on this, leaning more towards experience and experimentation in the younger years and reflection and conceptualise as I get older. As people we learn from making mistakes or experiencing failures, and in theory would then make changes in order to...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Looking back at my life which mostly center’s on running a business. What comes to light is that it is a real mix of intended and emergent paths taken. Sometimes a business plan goes off track as an emerging opportunity arises. Shifting ones focus to grab on to an opportunity, whilst still working to some degree to create new ones.
In some respects life...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I enjoyed reading the Crucibles of Leadership, very enlightening, how people deal with different situations and confrontations. I guess the key here is how we respond to different situations that we may find ourselves in from time to time. Being able to handle or see a way through seems like a good skill to have and share.
I never realised just how much...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
I think I am just OK with change, perhaps stemming from a fear of the unknown or a fear of failure (in business and personal life). It is like when there is a crisis, humans tend to want and crave the things that comfort them the most. Go to favourite foods, movies, books etc. I think it gives us back a sense of belonging and the feeling of safety (which is...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Apple was able to lead from the top with a total focus on building products that consumers all over the world wanted. They keep abreast of technology and the changing environment, continually bringing about change with the introduction of new ideas and leading innovative products. They have captured and strong following of product users that form in some part...
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McDonald's used an effective strategy to systemically reproduce the same food item anywhere in the world. Making the food offering unique by rigorously implementing and maintaining a consistent approach to staff training, food preparation, customer experience and supply chain. Thus McDonald's were able to grow exponentially throughout the world.
Blockbuster...
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Alan Seabrook made a comment
Hi everyone, I operate a normally busy catering company but have a lot of time at the moment. I am interested to do this course to learn to think strategically within my business and operating environment. My industry is fast changing, so looking to change within myself and better understand the challenges that lay ahead.
