MAKING HEADWAY

BY RICHARD FARRELLY

Welcome to issue #1 of Headway, a monthly newsletter by me, Rich Farrelly, with a focus on doing your best leadership work and if you need to, make some tweaks to your life. I love that you are here. If this was forwarded to you, subscribe here.

Sunday, November 3rd, 2024

Hi Top Guns,

2025 is coming at us like a freight train. Maybe not fast enough for you if you are stuck at boom gates waiting for all those carriages to pass by so you can finally get going again and see what is on the other side of the tracks. The ‘wrong’ side, perhaps? Maybe. That’s up to you.
 
What does crossing those long hunks of metal that are stretching into the distance mean for you?

Well, it could be the status quo. If this is you and you are comfortable with that, read on. If this is you, and you are uncomfortable with that, read on.

Are people really interested in moving out of the status quo and grow?

I mean, the band Status Quo had plenty going for it and so does the condition of the status quo. There's even a bias named after it, that's how famous it is.

Like watching You’ve Got Mail on the couch under a weighted blanket and eating a packet of Tim Tams, the status quo is very comfortable.

It’s efficient and we can all just keep doing the same thing like Tom Cruise does in any action movie we have seen him in.

I’m sure you can think of a few more that sound very appealing and will keep you in 2024 mode even though you are in 2025.

* * *

There are always big shifts happening in leadership. Those who embrace the status quo risk getting knocked over by the leadership freight train because it suddenly switched tracks at the last minute and you didn’t notice. This will not cause mass hysteria, but you will get a big fright. 

Anyway, enough of the freight train. It’s gone. The boom gates have tentatively lifted themselves up and cleared the path in front of you, the chimes of the bells have stopped, and those flashing red lights have faded. 

Silence. 

It's now up to you.

* * *

What does this mean for us?

Well, shifting your thinking away from the status quo means you will:

Challenge old ways of thinking by unlocking innovation and creativity.

Embrace challenges, learn new skills and personally grow and develop.

Break free from routine and predictability.

Improve problem-solving by not relying on old assumptions and conventional wisdom. 

Build the capacity to handle change and uncertainty.

Help others move beyond the status quo and thrive in new directions. 

* * *

So, what do you do now?

Well, you can stay in the status quo, if you like. It is a great place to be, but not much grows there.

To shift and disrupt the status quo, you need to start shifting that dial and move up the average, but move the average UP (Here's Shawn Achor talking about just that). There are plenty of things you can do. Here's a few of them. 

• Practice viewing challenges or routines from the perspective of an outsider or a beginner, questioning established processes without bias.

• Identify one area where you’ve been playing it safe and set a bold target that feels just beyond reach.

• Take on one task or project that pushes you outside your comfort zone, either by requiring new skills, collaboration with different people, or testing a new approach.

• Set up a feedback loop with trusted colleagues or mentors to review your projects, ideas, or behaviors and uncover areas for change.

• Set aside time each month for learning something new, whether it’s attending a workshop, reading a book outside your field, or exploring a new technology.

• Set up “safe-to-fail” zones, where employees can test new ideas without the fear of consequences. Celebrate what was learned from both successes and failures.

You will probably want to unpack these a little, so feel free to drop me a line.

“How did you go bankrupt?” “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” is an exchange between two characters in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. Shifting and disrupting the status quo is a gradual thing, and then suddenly you see the change occur.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MONTH

BOOK

Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking by Matthew Syed

This explores how embracing diverse thinking can not only spark creativity and improve problem-solving in teams but also help shift the status quo, showing that different perspectives lead to better decisions and innovative breakthroughs.

(You can get it from Amazon, but supporting your local bookstore is even better)

PODCAST

The Dynamic Leader Podcast by Shelley Flett

Episode #105 – The one with Gerard Penna on Extraordinary Leadership

They dive into the art of challenging the status quo—exploring how great leaders know when to shake things up and encourage fresh ideas. It's all about resilience, adaptability, and stepping away from "business as usual" (is that still a thing) to unlock a team’s potential in a rapidly changing world. Check out their full conversation if you’d like to hear more insights into leading with a dynamic edge.

* * *

UPCOMING EVENTS

21^st November -  Women in Leadership Melbourne Circle - November Meet Up

April to June 2025 - Status Quo (the band) tour (UK)

2025 - Communicating with Influence programs now open for 2025

My colleague, Woon, and I have created a unique program that will unpack the art of communication and make you rethink how you can do it better and achieve greater outcomes. Think of it as another way to shift the status quo of yourself and the team.

Click on our faces above or contact me to learn more about it.

I take the view that we are all little cheer squads for each other and our default position is that we all want each other to succeed in business and in life, so feedback and ideas are always welcome. I know it is coming from a good place. I am even open to a ‘letter to the editor’, if you are inspired to write.

Thanks for reading to the bottom.

See you next month.

Rich

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