I really enjoyed listening to a short conversation yesterday with a wonderful guy I have known for many years Dean Curtis. I woke up this morning to write this short note with an intention to lean into his inspiring example, with a hope to connect you to Dean in an engaging way.
I believe in sharing stories that Inspire Connection and Engagement, supporting everyone on their journey to Be Relentless Being You. And so today, Dean Curtis.
Dean is the CEO of RELX a very large global business where he is committed to making the world a better place and delivering better business decisions and practices utilising data and technology. He is also a great human and someone I respect and admire deeply. I have seen Dean expand into the incredibly successful person he is today, while in my humble opinion remaining true to being the friendly, calm, good natured, trusted person he continues to be.
In this interview where Dean talks about some of his own challenges with mental health in his twenties, I was struck by the reference to a topic which you do not hear mentioned often, this is a relatively new yet powerful and profound area of psychology called Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). Post traumatic growth refers to positive psychological change resulting from a struggle through traumatic or highly challenging life circumstances and how experiencing those events can have a transformational role in personality development and personal growth.
You can see the interview with Dean here which was a really genuine and honest discussion with some very helpful points raised. This included a line that is very close to my own heart that Dean gave as the advice to his younger self.
"Be the best version of yourself and be you. You will always perform at your best when you are yourself in an environment you want to be in."
One thing I really loved was the context in which this interview was delivered, with Dean staying focused on leading yourself first and being the change you want to see. This for me is all about be relentlessly authentic, removing say do gaps from your leadership style and creating a culture of engagement, honesty, and trust, which Dean is incredibly good at.
A great little note below from a book that I can highly recommend to anyone wanting to further develop their own internal leadership capabilities is Lead yourself first. This great book illustrates how leaders can, indeed must be disciplined people who create the quiet space for disciplined thought and summon the strength for disciplined action. It is a message needed now more than ever, else we run the risk of waking up at the end of the year having accomplished little of significance, each year slipping by in a flurry of activity pointing nowhere while not giving enough time and attention to our own mental health.
“We live in a cacophonous age, swarming insects of noise and interruption buzzing about emails, text messages, cable news, advertisements, cell phones, meetings, wireless web connections, social media posts, and all the new intrusions invented by the time you are reading this.
If leadership begins not with what you do but with who you are, then when and how do you escape the noise and find your purpose and summon the strength to pursue it?
Removing negative inputs physically, mentally, and emotionally to increase clarity is no easy task as anyone committed to doing so will be able to confirm. It is however absolutely critical to navigating a world of digital distraction and the mountain of unwanted noise that surrounds us all every day, significantly contributing to mental health challenges. I believe finding a positive pathway through the noise by leading ourselves first is how we navigate through many of our life challenges and difficult circumstances as we find the power in moving through the Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) in our own lives to something much greater.
Post traumatic growth is defined as someone who’s development surpasses what was present before their initial struggle/crisis occurred. In summary, they come out brighter, better, and stronger than before the trauma took place, as if the experience helped them grow to new levels. They may have an entire change of viewpoint, more self-awareness, and may elevate the importance of relationships that they once took for granted.
It is no secret that the focus on strength instead of weaknesses is the underlying, basic tenant of recovery. However for those who experienced trauma, that tactic can be hard to utilise since most survivors tend to see themselves as inherently weak. Though it may be challenging, and quite diverse based on the type of trauma someone went through, there can come a time when they are able to shift their views and perspectives, moving away from what is wrong with them to what has happened to them instead.
This is my personal lived experience and which is why I am so deeply connected to sharing the message, the interview with Dean, and other stories of Positive Transformation that ultimately change minds and in doing so change lives. I know that everything great in life for those dealing with trauma exists outside the toxic circle and moving beyond PTG.
When I met up with Dean recently we covered a lot of ground in a short space of time, all very empowering for both of us I think. I find the people having lived experienced of Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) and who have invested time in creating an Opportunity Mindset have a certain energy, and ability to really bring out the best in others.
Dean speaks to the fact that exercise is his release and in the early part of his life he was engaged in professional sport and that mindset now enables him to transfer many of those high performance principles into business, this speaks volumes about the role exercise and eating well plays for us all when we aim to be at our best for those around us every day.
So to conclude with a few comments from Dean.
"Be the best version of yourself and be you. You will always perform at your best when you are yourself and in an environment you want to be in."
"I am at my best enjoying exercise, travel, food and meeting new people and most of all creating memories with my family. So far in my career I have worked for, and with, some remarkable people and feel I am blessed, as part of this it is an obligation to give back and like to work on different charitable initiatives."
As well as being CEO and an all round great human, Dean has three children who are his world, family is his reason with work and people being his purpose and motivation. This is such a pertinent point and one that underlines my personal commitment to creating Masterpiece Days, everyday, for everyone around me. It is highly likely why I feel such a deep connection to Dean and some of the other wonderful people I am lucky to meet.
I recommend spending 10 minutes to watch the conversation with him. You can access that here. In the meantime I wish you all a Masterpiece Day, and to Be Relentless Being You inspiring meaningful connection in the world around you.
Change One Mind. Change One Life.
Positive Transformation
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