A key ingredient for success in management, sport and life is mental toughness.

Almost everything else is secondary.

By mental toughness or discipline, I refer to the ability to do the right things, do things right and at the appropriate time – whether we feel like it or not.

In family life, mental discipline means never smacking your kids out of anger. It means arriving home in the very best attitude irrespective of how your workday has been. It means being tuned in to those around you even if you are fatigued.

It’s close to three years since I commenced working for the Perth Wildcats and one of the most successful West Australian business mentors anyone can have the opportunity to have.

I’m often asked what are the key learnings from someone who arrived as an immigrant on a freight ship from America 42 years ago and started from scratch.

The answer would be: simplify, clarify, focus and execute.
In almost everything, there is a trademark modus operandi of breaking down the key issues, getting to the critical success factor and then focusing energies on either fixing the problem or taking the necessary steps to achieve what is required.

I’m often frustrated by the quirky ways we reward people.

Our family of six with a consistently large weekly grocery spend is kept waiting at the check out (four kids in tow) whilst the guy who spends a few dollars on a couple of items is given priority at the Express Checkout.

Who’s thinking here?

$300 a week or a $15,000 a year customer marginalised.

Another good example is how we treat employees. We throw a going away party for departing staff but little to celebrate a new staff member joining the team.