Russell Bell: Reflection, relaxation and creativity key to not being one of the herd

Russell Bell says exercise, including a walking circuit around Durie Hill, is an activity that allows him to relax. Photo / Bevan Conley

OPINION:

I am a firm believer that to really succeed in business you need to be your own person and not be too influenced by the "herd".

Where it begins is being able to think clearly, take some calculated risks and not always follow the thinking of the group. You must be able to innovate and think outside of your immediate surroundings.

For me, the best innovation ideas come when my mind is clear and time off is great for that. Unfortunately, due to having to isolate for seven days because one of the Bell young adults contracted Covid-19, our school holiday plans were discarded. So now I am contemplating taking micro-breaks and, with winter approaching, they will have to be strategically planned.

The good news is there are plenty of activities and venues around our rohe that can enable the hitting of the "relaxation button" and also allow a clearer head with which to plan.

Many summers ago, I discovered mountain biking and have now supplemented that with creating a walking circuit around Durie Hill. The benefits of this have included a marked improvement in my fitness and an opportunity to disconnect from the normal and abnormal (Covid) aspects of life. But, most of all, exercise is an activity that allows me to relax, believe it or not.

But, as well as that, it is important to exercise the mind.

I tend to read a lot of non-fiction and Mrs Bell will attest that I also spend a lot of time researching to assist my clients – and to write these articles. But when taking time out, the reading turns to publications that, like the exercise, are about improvement.

And the really great books that are impactful tend to be read many times. So, I recently returned to a fantastic book about the most successful basketball coach in NBA history, Phil Jackson, titled Eleven Rings.

It remains a fascinating insight into leadership and the functioning of high-performing teams and how to manage highly competitive and driven team players.

Re-reading the book reinforced a lot that I already knew, but also reminded me of some important points about teamwork – the most fascinating of which was the implication that, despite having "megastars" such as Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal, the players who anchored the teams were the most important. That is, not the superstars but all-round contributors.

All in all, Jackson applied his own brand of leadership and applied approaches unique to him and the needs of his team(s) with astounding success. Clearly not one of the herd.

Jackson also had some unique ideas and noted idea generation is vital to successful organisations and groups.

So I am looking forward to taking time to reflect and be creative, even if it is in short bursts.

Of course, there is reality to negotiate first. There is always work to do, but actually having something to look forward to also energises. And another payoff from truly relaxing will be bringing back to work higher energy levels plus the excitement of new ideas and activities.