MenuClosePerhaps it’s because I have an innate desire to solve problems. Perhaps it’s because I extract joy and energy out of seeing other people succeed. Perhaps it’s a bit of both and a whole lot more I’m yet to discover.
It’s easy to assume that I’ve glided through life seamlessly because I’ve enjoyed success in both my career and personal life – I have a wonderful wife, a supportive family and a job that I love. What people don’t see at first is the struggles I’ve overcome to get to this point.
I could write the usual About page – a laundry list of skills, achievements and qualifications. But I’m in the business of transformation – holistic transformation that achieves sustainable results – so instead, I’m going to tell you about my personal transformation. It’s made me who I am and it makes me better at what I do.
You could say I started to lose myself by trying too hard to fit in. I was in my mid-20s and made the move from a larger organisation to a smaller one. We helped businesses create behavioural change by coaching their people through roadblocks. I absolutely loved the work but the culture was one of ‘work hard, play harder’.
In an effort to please my bosses, I emulated their behaviour. A few drinks after a 15-hour work day soon progressed to heading to the bar for six beers and a bottle of red every night. On the cycle went for three years – me trying to be what I thought people wanted me to be and losing my identity, health and wellbeing as a result.
I was at work when it first happened. Heart pounding. Chest closing. Room spinning. Thinking, Is this it? Am I dying? Or just going insane?
A panic attack. Then another. And another. The warning signs had been there for a while – brain fog, insomnia, running on pure adrenaline, drinking to silence the truth. I kept telling myself I was excelling, and on paper I was, but my trembling hands revealed the truth. I was completely burned out.
I quit my job and my wife and I moved in with my parents. For a while, I couldn’t get out of bed. Even brushing my teeth felt like too big a task. Our family doctor diagnosed me with Generalised Anxiety Disorder and I was put on a holistic treatment plan including antidepressants, acupuncture and cognitive behavioural therapy.
I joined a bigger organisation where the values and behaviours of the leadership team aligned to my own. It was an environment that allowed me to bring my whole self to work. I didn’t have to pretend. I didn’t have to resort to destructive behaviour to fit in. I wasn’t a machine to be exploited. I was valued for my knowledge, skills and life experience.
It was that savvy Sigmund Freud who said,
“One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.”
When I look back, I am grateful for the struggle because it deepened my understanding of what true transformation entails.
I learned that transformation, whether personal or professional, takes courage, consistency and collaboration. I learned that professional masks and disingenuous interactions lead to misery while compromising connection. I learned that success is the result of small incremental improvements made every day. And I learned that expert guidance and support makes all the difference.
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Download free ebookSam’s holistic approach to transformation combines capability development with rigorous performance management as well as mindset and behavioural change. His ethos is the result of 15 years in the industry as well as a personal transformation journey that saw him navigate a mental health crisis to rebuild his life and career.
Before his 6 years at Mckinsey, Sam held senior transformation roles at leading consultancies, including Deloitte and KordaMentha in Australia. He is a Chartered Accountant, holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and is a qualified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute.
When he’s not advising international leaders on transformation, you’ll find Sam near or under the water. His natural affinity for coaxing people out of their comfort zones has seen him become a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and instructor with Project AWARE, a non-profit ocean and marine conservation organisation. As a guest speaker, Sam openly shares his personal struggles to end the stigma around mental health and encourage more empathy in homes and workplaces.
Sam lives in London with his wife and enjoys travelling home to Australia to enjoy beachside barbecues with his extended family.
Through my previous experience at McKinsey & Company in the UK, and now in his own business, Sam empowers multinational organisations to move from distress/underperformance to profit and peak performance.
