ANNIE GIBBINS

POWERHOUSE GLOBAL MAGAZINE (PGMAG) INTERVIEW WITH:

ANNIE GIBBINS

THE TOP BOOKS THAT INFLUENCED YOU.

As a woman who spends her life on the run, my downtime is everything to me. And the best way to decompress after a hectic week at the helm, is being nose deep in my favourite books. But, with a thirst for growth and expanding success, it's what I choose to read that makes all the difference. As an influencer myself, I know it’s all about what you know, what you know about and who you know. I choose to read from those who have converted their challenges into opportunities. As a Global Women’s Empowerment Coach, C-Suite leader, podcast host and #1 Best Selling Author, it is my passion to debunk mindset myths, and educate women that transformation and a 7-figure salary is doable, with the right set of formulas. And I have learnt from some of the best. Here are my top four reads, inspirational authors and life-changing books that showed me how success is at our fingertips, when it comes to backing ourselves in the boardroom.

MINDSET BY CAROL DWECK.

I just love this book. And what I love even more, is that we all have a choice when it comes to the way we think. Dweck explains why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success, but how we apply our ‘fixed or growth’ mindset.

She makes it clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn't foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment but may jeopardise success, because as individuals we are not doing the work. That is exactly how I feel when it comes to coaching my top-tier clients. We know that CEOs are no strangers to knowing their worth. But for so many who are on the cusp of success, it’s the way they think that gets in the way. It sounds simple because it is. But for so many, working longer hours isn’t going to get the job done. Whether we are teaching our children or our clients, the tapestry behind every good decision is based on a set of mindset guidelines. Like Carol Dweck, learning is important, but how we approach learning is everything. Adopting a positive growth mindset can literally change your life.

START WITH WHY BY SIMON SINEK

Behind every great idea, purpose, passion, campaign and global movement, there is a person or people who are fiercely motivated with ‘their why’. Simon Sinek is an author and viral TED speaker, who’s seamless philosophies are being adopted worldwide. He asks, ‘Why are some people and organisations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over? And it all starts with WHY’. So many organisations can brilliantly explain how they make money, who drives the revenue, where their markets are placed and what leading products are boosting their bottom line. But if we really asked an entry level administrator or a Board Director the ‘why’ behind the concept, they will likely refer to the company's values, however that’s not the conceptional purpose. Sinek isn’t referring to this. Behind some of the greatest leaders, such as Martin Luther King and Steve Jobs, they captivated a global audience because they identified their ‘why’. They deconstructed their ‘why’ and reconstructed a dream. Sometimes, the simplest of questions has the greatest impact. Every day I know my ‘why’, and every day I learn the ‘why’s’ of my clients. Therefore, this is why I love what I do.

UPSTREAM: HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN BY DAN HEATH

We all need a reminder that sometimes we are spending our lives, both personally and professionally reacting and not living. This book is a gamechanger for me.

New York Times best-selling author Dan Heath asks what happens when we take our thinking upstream and try to prevent problems before they happen. He so perfectly says, ‘we all tend to work around problems. We are resourceful. We improvise. We’re so accustomed to managing emergencies as they strike that we often don’t stop to think about how we could prevent crises before they happen. Why 'solve' crimes when we could stop them being committed?’ Yes!

We have all written a strategic plan, five-year forecast and board paper to suggest ways in which we can tackle our top ten drawbacks. Not only does this approach gear towards a negative mindset, it is also draining a budget that was not calculated to enable problems.

When I am on a one-on-one coaching call or speaking at a symposium on how to enhance the economic climate for international organisations, I don’t list everything that is going against their business. I am sharing how prevention is better than intervention. How foresight is insight. This is a must read, because with Dan Heath on my bookshelf, life just got so much more successfully, simpler.

THINK AND GROW RICH BY NAPOLEON HILL

My final top 4 book pick is this incredible read. This is an oldy but goody, after being written by one of the greatest business legends of all time. When Napoleon Hill started putting ink to paper (literally), he structured this book as a professional development and how-to-guide on how to make your business a success. Now, ‘Think and Grow Rich’ is considered one of the greatest pieces of economic literature there is. I think every CEO needs a book close-by that heralds the importance of championing wealth. Afterall, there is nothing wrong with backing your back-pocket. Hill explains how achievement occurs, and a formula for success is available for the average person. This is how I model my programs. I want every woman, from a budding start-up to a global leader to understand that fortune, be that accolades or dollar bills, is available. If Hill went on to advise President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1936, then perhaps you can be the person who guides your government to greater things.

RELEVANCY IN THE MARKETPLACE?

We are living and working in a world that is moving faster than ever before. Being busy is a state of mind that we have come to call ‘normal’ and emerging from a pandemic will one day, be our ‘new normal’.

That’s why we need to ensure our slice in the digital marketplace is bigger and bolder than ever. There is something I do that a lot of CEOs have been taught to avoid. I inject heart and humanness into every one of my team members. Many times, I have led companies over the line, with thousands of employees in tow, because I am infectious. And I have no scruples admitting that I am a liked leader. I know we all have company surveys and HR polls that substantiate that we are doing a great job, but how I treat my clients, whether that is a struggling mother-of-five, or a Senior Vice President, is actually no different. Why? Because I want to exude trust. And trust is contagious. When we feel safe in an organisational framework, we increase the space to create, innovate and sometimes, fail. I am a big believer that failure is what comes before success. In fact, if you aren’t innovating with a few failed attempts, then I am not sure you’ll ever be listed in the Fortune 500. So, trust brings joy, happiness, satisfaction and commitment. Isn’t that what we are ultimately striving for. Retention over attrition, and growth over decline? Your competitive advantage must bring out these feelings. Your suite of skills and attributes will cement contentment. I know for some, this may all sound a bit ‘woo, woo’. But, there is not one person on this planet who COVID-19 hasn’t impacted. With so much decline, loss and impact, despite some businesses thriving, many have folded. If we apply our emotional intelligence and equip ourselves with a downstream mindset, then the global economy stands a chance of mass and magnificent revival.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Aged just 23 years old, I gave birth to twin boys and 26 months later, another set of twins arrived. Completing my family with a beautiful daughter, I was no stranger to long nights. Even in the thick of sleep deprivation, I knew I wanted (and could have more). Climbing my particular career ladder hasn’t been easy. Afterall, anything that comes too easy is rarely worth sacrificing for. So, I fought hard. I fought for my CEO roles, and education. I strived to be a leader that never lacked integrity. But what I wish I had more of were clearly defined boundaries, with clear intention. Boundaries protect everyone. We often struggle placing boundaries in our lives, because we feel we are ‘putting someone out’ by asking for our needs to be met, our values to be understood and our feelings heard. In fact, it’s the opposite. Boundaries offer clarity, worth and respect. You cannot misinterpret a boundary but you can easily misinterpret a shady line in the sand. Learn yours early and stand by them with pride. If I could have a conversation with my younger self, and in fact, to every young person in the world, it's to dream big and act bigger. Women have often muted and shrunk themselves because society said so. Fortunately, the gender tide is turning but we have a long way to go. As the G100 Australian Country Chair - Equity & Equality, I am an advocate for change. I want to ensure that everyone understands that a person’s opinion is an impermanent statement that has nothing to do with you. It's just that, an opinion. Don’t be shamed into suppression or give-up on that next big promotion, because you are brilliant. Harness your passion, back yourself to success and be 100% committed, even when no-one is watching.