Vistage Speaker Paul McGee is one of Europe’s leading speakers on the subject of change, workplace relationships and motivation. His provocatively titled book SUMO (Shut Up, Move On) became an instant best seller as did his follow up book SUMO Your Relationships. Building on his background in psychology, Paul’s aim is to deliver a practical, relevant message that can make an immediate impact on people’s professional and personal lives.
Paul McGee’s key learning is that the actual SUMO principles don’t change but you have to be very creative, innovative and flexible on how you adapt your material to your audience. If Chief Executives are at one end of the scale, 5 year old children and young offenders who can’t read or write are definitely at the other end. Below is Paul’s latest update on his recent work.
I spent some time in prison recently. It was an unforgettable experience.
I was there to witness a SUMO session being run with some young offenders. It was an opportunity for them to explore how the principles, along with a number of other interventions, could help them to turn their lives around. My SUMO Associate Roy did an excellent job.
During the break I was drawn to a notice board that had the following definition for the word HOPE. It was simply this:
Helping
Other
Possibilities
Emerge
I love that definition. What about you?
I guess we all need hope at times. Just as importantly we need some ideas, tools, strategies and support in order to turn hope into reality. That's definitely been my experience.
As SUMO has grown, so too has my need to involve others. I need people to help take the message into schools and prisons and we're now even working with a Premiership Football Club. But I also need people to help bring me clarity to see how things can grow and develop - I need the wisdom and insight of others to Help Other Possibilities Emerge.
I was inspired by my time in prison. Inspired by the people I met who work tirelessly to help people create a different future for both themselves and society.
It's a long and challenging journey that they're on.
But there is hope.
So what about you? Who gives you the support in Helping Other Possibilities Emerge? Perhaps it's not a person - maybe it's a book. Whatever the source, keep looking for people and ideas to give you HOPE. And remember, you yourself could be the catalyst required to bring hope to a customer, colleague or friend today.
Hold onto HOPE.
Paul
The SUMO Guy
How to help your own possibilities emerge; view or download the documents below from Paul McGee: