Kindness : The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Kindness is not being astute, calculating and intentional in order to win or have an advantage; kindness wins by having a largeness of heart. In a hostile world that is very territorial, the very idea of kindness can appear weak and debilitating. It takes a… Continue reading Kindness can move a mountain in families, neighbourhoods and city hall (174)
If we are to make impact in uncharted territory, we need to have the right team It’s the leaders role to know the destination, not necessarily the whole process of getting there Most leaders that seem to have all the answers stay in safe waters and rarely experience new opportunities In the industrial era we… Continue reading A leader’s job is to replace themselves, to create far reaching impact (165)
Nature teaches us so much if we are open to it. When we look at a natural forrest, it develops an eco system where all sorts of living creatures survive as a result. Human beings are brilliant at taking elements of nature and creating controlled eco systems which produces quality fruit, we call this harvesting.… Continue reading Trees create other trees, not just fruit. Many leaders fall short of reproducing other leaders and only produce fruit, why? (164)
It’s interesting how the ancient word Evangelist has been adopted by technology companies with a simple definition of what a Technology Evangelist does ‘A technology evangelist is a person who builds a critical mass of support for a given technology, and then establishes it as a technical standard in a market that is subject to… Continue reading 3 easy steps, how to become a professional business Evangelist? (163)
I attended a women’s lunch recently held in a vineyard, surrounded by tall trees, grass and grapevines. The ladies were dressed beautifully with soft music playing in the background by a couple of young ladies. The three female speakers of the day shared personal aspects of their life very openly Each speaker started and ended… Continue reading Men need to cry more, they may just live longer (160)
Possessive, insecure, fearful, resentful, angry, an overwhelming sense of potential loss of relationship or possession Jealousy reveals itself in the most unusual settings and it doesn’t discriminate against kin or foe Jealousy can attack the closest of friends just as much and perhaps more so than an associate or neighbour 1. Jealousy starts with a… Continue reading Beware of the green eyed monster; jealousy destroys best friends (157)
The words we speak or don’t speak are not static, they carry life or death With our words we can disarm a volatile situation or inflame it 1. Practice speaking life in every situation, why? Our words and our tone reveal what’s going on in our heart They reveal our confidence, fears, prejudice, likes, dislikes… Continue reading Speak life into every situation (156)
When the teachers thought you were the least likely to succeed When you were overlooked for that promotion or job opportunity When you’ve failed at numerous attempts to start a lucrative business No one has ever heard of you All the above would be considered as having the underdog status moving forward 1. Being a… Continue reading 3 opportunities we have as underdogs (155)
Luck’s simplest definition : success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions. Wether we want to call it luck, favour or blessing, the very idea that we can invoke an outcome not directly connected to a specific scientific act of cause and effect is exciting. Most of humanity believes in… Continue reading 3 ways to attract good luck (154)
ALL WE HAVE IS TODAY Artist illustration ‘All Is Vanity’ from 1892, of a women admiring herself in a mirror yet at a distance, her dresser, it appears to be a human skull, reminding us all of our fate. A morbid lesson that gives me joy once understood, that success is an illusion One person… Continue reading ALL WE HAVE IS TODAY (Lesson 38) 90 day challenge
Unless you’ve been here, you’ll never appreciate the sweet sweet taste of life’s beauty unraveled by the oddest people we meet. Here’s just one glimpse that will last a lifetime. 1987, My wife, our baby girl and I are living thousands of kms from our family and community trying to build another community to give… Continue reading Angels we meet in difficult times (Lesson 39) 90 day challenge
“Who’s your Master?” He said (a comment made to me by a client) For though I am free from all me, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more ~ Paul, known as the Apostle 'Who's your Master"? To the modern day slave, that’s easy to answer, to the… Continue reading Who’s your Master? (Lesson 40) 90 day challenge
Casual Friday - For city Folk, it means not wearing a tie, for us, it’s a little bit more relaxed. What does an XCOP, XCRIM and an XPREACHER have in common? I often catch up with my oldest friend Mario on Fridays, we shoot the breeze and enjoy coffees at the beach. It's good to… Continue reading XCOP, XCRIM, XPREACHER have a common thread (Lesson 41) 90 day challenge
They accused him of associating too much with the Scum Of The Earth. Who did and why did they accuse him? Lawyers & Do-gooders Individuals that just see with shallow eyes and not with the heart. He rebuffs these legalistic and self riotous accusers with a classic line. “Those who are well have no need… Continue reading Original Gangster – Changed the rules to two (Lesson 42) 90 day challenge
Clash of two worlds I watched this homeless man take a seat at the head of the table at Times Square and he just sat there watching the world go by. Joan Osborne’s song ‘One of us’ came to mind as I watched the world go by with him. ~ What if God was one… Continue reading Was it Black Jesus at Times Square? (Lesson 43) 90 day challenge
Longmore, Riverbank juvenile prisons among others was the main topic of discussion with John, who’s now retired after decades of serving our youth. Retirement should be eliminated from our vocab, the moment we stop giving is the moment we start dying John is in his mid 70s and shares that he is soul searching when… Continue reading Delete retirement from your vocab (Lesson 44) 90 day challenge
"I am just a grain of sand" During my visit in Manhattan, New York I'm asking random unsuspecting people big questions about themselves and society. From the homeless, business people, lawyers, producers and this guy. A picture is worth a thousand words. I’m sitting in the foyer of the hotel and couldn’t help but take… Continue reading I AM JUST A GRAIN OF SAND
Plan like you'll live forever, live like it's your last breath. It may sound morbid but I've always been fascinated by funerals, even taking photos with my vintage Agfa 35mm Camera back in the seventies at a family burial. I'm surprised no one stopped me and thought it may have been distasteful. Maybe they to… Continue reading There’s no escaping, so don’t waste a minute (Lesson 46) 90 day challenge
I raced my dog on a track and field and he didn't stay in his lane, he just raced all over the field having fun. Then the thought occurred to me ‘The day I stopped running in the fictional white lines painted by my previous task masters was the day I discovered a new world’… Continue reading True freedom seems frightening (Lesson 47) 90 day challenge
Don't judge a book by its cover The Lyndon-James's family understand Social Capital at its finest I started hearing about this guy called Peter Lyndon-James some time ago and didn’t think much of it, just another story of a guy that went from the dark side to a fanatical religious side of life, or so… Continue reading Don’t judge a book by its cover (Lesson 48) 90 day challenge
LOVE IS A CHOICE I just think a lot of men just need to be that - MEN and chase your lady till the day you have breath no more. The following helps if you want a marriage partner for life (From my perspective) 1. Are you attracted to them (no-brainer) 2. Do they… Continue reading Love & Marriage (Lesson 49) 90 day challenge
When they give you an ultimatum, they lose My encounter with a bully that equipped me to deal with other bullies We sat on a park bench discussing the affairs of the organisation and I shared my concerns. He was being polite and understanding to a point. He then goes on to say words to… Continue reading When the bully loses (Lesson 51) 90 day challenge
Nothing makes a troll feel better than tarnishing your character as they create an unreal image of their power in your mind. It's no different to the classroom or workplace bully. If you're in the public space, let's face it, you've become a target of Chucky, the undeveloped mind. Chucky is an undeveloped creature who… Continue reading Dealing with a Social Media Troll (Lesson 52) 90 day challenge
Children of unskilled, unlearned and non English speaking migrants 51 years today, 16th April 2019 My parents arrived at the Fremantle docks with all their woes and sorrows of poverty, civil war and hopelessness into the arms of a country that gave them a chance. My brother ended up getting two degrees, maths and music… Continue reading Australian Migrants Rock
I'm glad some people never retireI Just finished a great conversation with a semi-retired teacher/ educator who’s been doing her work for over forty five years Interesting observations through her eyes. 1. The world has changed so much and children aren’t being prepared for life. 2. Teachers get worn out by the system and the… Continue reading Teachers Rock, I know, I married one
The anchor of a city is the promise it gives. Reshaping, rebuilding to fully appreciate what's in our midst. 100,000 more residents, students and tourists filling the Perth CBD void, which is required to create an enviable vibrant global city. Perth is Safe, Clean and open for business. What some call a boring City is… Continue reading Perth, Sky’s the limit – A City Change within our reach
I was privileged to speak to about fifty young men aged between eighteen and thirty in a Perth prison along with prison officers and the prison director. I also had a couple of construction site managers. an x-police officer and an indigenous leader come along for the ride. These young prisoners are incredibly intuitive and… Continue reading The prison bars aren’t the inhibitor (Lesson 55) 90 day challenge
Let's build the smartest cultural city in the world with the aim of making Perth the gateway to Australia. Smart City Perth is an idea to connect leaders with leaders. It's not about attracting followers to justify its existence. It's definitely not about one person's agenda or ideology. The aim is to get initiatives off… Continue reading Imagine a network of leaders not sheep (Lesson 56) 90 day challenge
The moment you walk in, it's evident wether you're welcome or not. Picture of John Stefanelli Senior sharing some wisdom with young leaders. I thought it would be good to have one of the founders of the Swan Chamber of Commerce some forty years earlier to give young people a taste of what it's like… Continue reading The day fear is introduced, business stops growing (Lesson 57) 90 day challenge
I know nothing about prisons, the workings of a criminal mind or how the systems of incarceration facilities operate to minimise recidivism. What I do know is, we can dramatically change the current outcomes by introducing a consciousness of moral law. The most basic method of group thought and group control is routine. Routine has… Continue reading Why prisons? – It’s a compelling opportunity to develop Smart Prisons
There is something disturbing about the silence of an unchartered track, especially when we make the shift from the safe path to the unknown. While most people can get frustrated by routine, rarely will they give it up in order to explore possibilities. The day we launch our new business and open the doors, the… Continue reading Off the beaten track for future leaders (Lesson 58) 90 day challenge
I had a catch up with the General Manager of Hanssen Construction just before Christmas and he gives me a gift, my now new coffee cup that I use each morning. Reminding me that 'The Job is the Boss' What job? I heard this term some years ago when attending manager site meetings on various… Continue reading The Job is the boss (Lesson 59) 90 day challenge
2018 greeted me with a series of medical checks My glasses are thicker, I had my first rear tooth mola removed and then things get a little more intense. Mid year I welcomed a five inch scar along my lower spine after a procedure to remove a malignant melanoma and to finish off the year,… Continue reading The beauty of ageing gracefully and refusing to worry
How many would close a business because it's going too well? Hardly, however there are some things more important than popularity. For me it's the validation of authenticity and no one can answer that but ourselves. There is nothing I hate worse than forever talking about yesterday's victories, we must be current in our victories… Continue reading Two years off the Social Media grid (Lesson 60) 90 day challenge
As a Chaplain to one Australia's largest high rise construction companies, represented by hundreds of workers from over 60 nationalities, my role was stealth until a need arose. (Run for a friend ; was a suicide awareness campaign we rolled out over a period time to help people open up about their struggles) The following… Continue reading A Construction Chaplain’s approach to a Muslim new convert
It was a privilege to connect my old Pastor friend of 38 years with my my first boss, my cousin from my teenage years, to reignite life to this old reception centre in the city of Swan. This building on the corner of Great Northern Highway and Toodyay Road, Middle Swan was full of life… Continue reading Not quite a cathedral but you have to have vision
In a world riddled with uncertainty, the fabric of society is held together not by mortar alone. Connectivity and safety in society cannot be drummed into our boys with anti bully slogans or the threat of discipline from a heartless system. Our girls ought to feel safe without thinking twice. A father's heart raises the… Continue reading A father’s heart is integral to a city’s fabric, not just a father’s paycheque
Love is a word least likely to appear in a building contract or a developers feasibility, yet love guarantees sustainability. Having spent the past forty years of my career in family business, the not for profit and the property sector, I'm convinced 'Love is what keeps us together' Love, compassion, mercy and justice are the… Continue reading Building tomorrows cities with social justice (love) at its core
We must acknowledge the end of a season and reflect on how good that season was, otherwise we'll miss the whole point of compassion. Making a difference comes in seasons There's a time to sow and there's a time to reap, smart people know the difference and there's definitely a time to let the soil… Continue reading Compassion fatigue sets in when we don’t have an off button
On my morning walk during a quick trip up in Karatha, Red Dog territory, I noticed a man with one golf club and a touch at 5am. I trapped him into a quick conversation, it's not everyday you see someone playing golf in the dark. He's a local doctor who shared his story. He's past… Continue reading Smart doctor taking a torch to his local golf course at 5am
If you are interested in a chat, message me on WhatsApp with the button to the right hand bottom corner of this page or email me direct on tom@smilovitis.com and we can arrange to meet if you’re in Perth, Western Australia or zoom chat anywhere in the world. Who knows what light could come from a chat?
These are the individuals that capture possibilities in their imagination first as they walk towards their dreams, not even realising they awaken the sleepy conscience of everyone in their path. These types of Leaders aren't too interested in gaining a following. They are keen to unleash other leaders with a wild imagination, encouraging them to… Continue reading Leaders embrace the lonely path to pave the way for others
It's a natural tendency to lose touch of the working class person or the battler the busier we get and the more reliant we become on advisors. The crowd starts to fade and the information we receive becomes generic. Generic information is how we become complacent and lose the confidence of the masses. The temptation… Continue reading When we lose touch of the masses, we become desensitised and make foolish decisions
A couple of weeks ago I woke up early and felt that I needed to honour one of Perth's elders. Only room for twelve - Keep it small and intimate I sent a text to about fifteen young leaders and invited them to hear ninety three year old John Stefanelli Senior share about his life… Continue reading There’s no security in the world, only opportunity
The perfectionist struggles to experience growth for fear of failure. Always planning and seeking 99.9% in their theoretical results which makes them fail to launch in the real world. By seeking excellence we acknowledge failure is very much a part of the growing experience. Unless we are willing to fail miserably from time to time,… Continue reading Desire excellence not perfection (Lesson 70) 90 day challenge
We don't have to be rich to practice philanthropy It was 4am and I had a McDonalds breakfast in a bag hoping to find a hungry soul, breakfast in exchange for a story. His face looked familiar, the face of yet another stranger who lost their way. He was happy to share his story and… Continue reading Even street people yearn for community – Let’s call him Bob (Lesson 69) 90 day challenge
Choosing to be ignorant of how goodwill works in community is not an excuse. Corporate and civil social responsibility is everyone's business. You don't palm this off to some make-believe GOODWILL department or PR department. It's everyone's role to create good-will. Am I my brother's keeper? is the very first story in Judo/Christian teachings of… Continue reading Our community’s fabric is destroyed when Goodwill is chopped down and uprooted and replaced with codes, laws and bylaws
They show potential and the blood thirst of the economy must be fed so small business is encouraged at all costs. Modern-Day Gladiators, practicing their skills when no one is watching, waiting for the day they get a shot in the arena. The arena (THE MARKET PLACE) is packed to the brim, represented by every… Continue reading Entrepreneur – Modern Day Gladiators (Lesson 61) 90 day challenge
Updated June 2020 and the positive narrative continues. Seven years on and it's still happening, wholesome leaders empowering people to build amazing structures in Perth's high-rise horizon. pic taken at Langley Park nurturing good mental health and suicide awareness, a Hanssen campaign 'run for a friend ;' September 2018, I concluded a five year personal… Continue reading Toxic Construction Culture weeded out by a new style of leadership
Willing to risk and jump into the unknown, we were called migrants 1968 coming towards the port of Fremantle, my mother looked at the flatness of the land, with no buildings and said to my dad, "Where are we going to find work here?" Like most migrants to Australia, they arrived from countries with ancient… Continue reading Entrepreneur – In my day we called them migrants
My childhood rubbish tip turned into a bird sanctuary with parks and gardens. I can't help but believe there's far greater ways to create urban cities that capture the holistic advantages of nature. A concrete jungle geared purely towards commerce costs far more than being nature minded as we inhabit. Suburbs have distanced many from… Continue reading Rubbish tip to beauty – Smart cities must reclaim urban sanctity
It takes Time, so have the long view - Develop patients with people - Have respect for nature, it's a great teacher The three gems I gleaned at the end of our conversation from John's vast business and life experience. From a wood-mill, tree plantations, cattle, fishing charters, tyres, news paper, developments, shopping centre or… Continue reading Who will replace elders like John Stefanelli? Building a new city on their foundations
Two years later, prisoners are on new paths because something happened that day. The room is empty and the prison guards prepare to bring in about fifty young men, average age, low twenties. These young men are in the prime of life and stuck behind walls paying back to society their time in exchange for… Continue reading Prison Motivational Talk; Captive audience and tough love
Mentoring in Construction is a tough gig, Gerry was my doorway. The following is my story and intro into the high rise construction industry in Perth Western Australia through construction Boss, Gerry Hanssen. Gerry has become a friend and mutual agitator to make a difference in the lives of people and the building industry. ‘The… Continue reading Construction Boss called me ‘The Chaplain’
The razor edge of authority Authority is likened to the razor edge of a surgeons scalpel and the two razor edges of a warriors sword. The scalpel- Knowing when to use the scalpel by mentoring others and surgically removing the cancers that eat away at a persons life. The two edged sword - Knowing when… Continue reading Razor Edge Authority (Lesson 66) 90 day challenge
