Jolt Challenge

Hear what Glenn Stone had to say

2011-12-19 16:19:00.0

Earlier this year, Glenn Stone and his staff from Glenn Stone Insurance participated in the JOLT Challenge public program. We followed up with him a few months later. Here's what he had to say.

We all very much enjoyed completing JOLT Challenge and I especially enjoyed the opportunity to interact with my staff away from the office.

My staff and I completed JOLT Challenge together and whilst we all gained significantly by particpating on an individual basis as an employer the improvements that were most valued were as follows;

Improved communication and a common language that we all understand
Clearly understanding each others values
Company values established that meet all stakeholders needs (management and staff)
Management and staff are even more motivated
Sense of common purpose and direction for all stakeholders (management and staff)

"I thoroughly enjoyed participating in JOLT Challenge, meeting new people,obtaining a better understanding of what my values are and a greater sense of purpose and direction in both my personal and business life" - Glenn Stone

Self & New Zealand: Who is a Kiwi?

2011-12-16 15:53:00.0

The Rugby World Cup has come to an end but the rise in national pride that has overtaken the country remains. Where has this surge in Kiwi spirit come from? Is it rugby that makes us Kiwi? Or are we defined by our passions for pies, pavlova and L&P? Does the colour of our skin matter? What about our birthplace?

Who you are in the context of New Zealand society. Does your unique culture have a place in forming the future New Zealand or do you have conform to the existing Kiwi identity? Should new immigrants integrate into the New Zealand way of life? Is that way of life and identity based on Maori Heritage, British colonialism or multiculturalism? What does it mean to be a Kiwi? Assimilating to the mainstream or living in a salad bowl society of ethnic fusion? How do we find the right balance?

The questions are endless and the answer is not a simple one. At November's Self Speaker Series - Self & New Zealand we aimed at tackling these questions and helping you define what you and everyone else's place is in New Zealand today.

• Mohsen al Attar (Lecturer at the Faculty of Law - International and Islamic Law)
• Oscar Kightley (Actor and member of comedy group "Naked Samoans")
• Samuela Sefuiva (Manager Race & Ethnic Relations at NZ Human Rights Commission)
• Geoff Thomas (Host of "Outdoors with Geoff" on TV3 and of The Fishing Breakfast on Radio Sport)
• Hineani Melbourne (Managing Director of Pounamu Media Group)
• Roseanne Liang (Writer and Director of the feature film "My Wedding and Other Secrets")

Hosted by Evie Ashton

Thanks to Clips for capturing all of the Self Speaker Series on film. To view past events please visit our Youtube channel:http://www.youtube.com/joltchallenge
Twitter: http://www.twitter/joltchallenge
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joltchallenge

Proudly sponsored by BNZ, Clips, Unlimited Magazine, Magners Cider, Glengarry Wines, Teza, Giapo and FlyaJet

Participants complete the last public program of 2012

2011-11-24 14:24:00.0

“Our fabulously diverse group, what a pleasure it was to journey with them, hear their positive insights and see such changes in them.” - Sandie Hunt (Trainer)

Three of the participants volunteered to share their experience by blogging their feelings, thoughts, insights and challenges weekly. Read their blog entries by clicking the link below:

John: http://www.joltchallenge.com/blog/tag/j-journey/
Leon: http://www.joltchallenge.com/blog/tag/l-journey/
Alistair: http://www.joltchallenge.com/blog/tag/a-journey/

The dates are set for the 2012 Public Programs.

Tues 14 Feb – 17 April 630 – 8pm
Wednesday 15 Feb – 18 April 9 – 1030am

Register now to recieve an early bird special of $1600 inc gst (offer only avaliable until 15 Dec 2011). Normal price $1800 inc gst. NB: Payment options are avaliable.

Potentia - the specialist IT Recruitment firm complete JOLT Challenge

2011-11-15 01:32:00.0

Congratulations to Potentia who have just finished the 9-week workout components of JOLT Challenge. "A great group to work with, my Wednesday mornings just won't be the same." - Wade Jackson (Trainer).

Read what they wrote on their website below or go straight to the Potentia blog by clicking here

We are now Jolt Challenge graduates

The Potentia team successfully completed the award winning Jolt Challenge this month. Jolt focuses on enhancing your Self Intelligence to create positive, practical and permanent change in all areas of your life through exploration of your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and capabilities. Jolt is a 9 week course launched in July 2009 by founders Steve Hill and Wade Jackson and is a product of Mind Warriors International Limited.

We took part in the corporate program as a team, meeting every Wednesday morning for the 9 weeks. Reading and activities are undertaken individually followed with a weekly session as a team to cement learnings from the previous week. As an instructor we found Wade to be incredibly personable, insightful and intelligent and we enjoyed the way he communicated the information in a relevant way. It wasn’t a ‘sit and listen’ program either, it was very self directed and the success and value for each person was a result of the efforts they put in themselves.

Potentia first came across Wade when we asked him to present at our conference earlier this year. Everyone was so impressed and learned so much in that small space of time, our management team introduced the opportunity to take part in the full Jolt Programme. From our MD Josh "One of my team introduced me to Wade whilst searching for a conference speaker. Having a keen interest in Neuroscience I wanted someone capable of introducing the subject and bringing it to life. Wade brought energy, passion and incredible insight plus a commitment to make the programme unique for everyone. I'd recommend this experience for anyone wanting to take their teams performance to the next level."

We thoroughly recommend the Jolt Challenge for any company wanting to increase the performance of their team and any individual wanting to learn how to become a better person.

Rugby World Cup 2011 – Triumph through adversity, the story of Aaron Cruden

2011-10-28 13:51:00.0

"I think the key was expecting things to happen. If you hope for the best and don't prepare for it when adversity comes you're not ready for it. Everyone dug as deep as they can." – Richie McCaw

What a sensational, nail biting victory it was over France. Although the All Blacks were always the favourites to win the final match, this World Cup hasn’t always been smooth sailing for our boys in black.The initial First XV line up started off strong with a solid winning squad, but I can still remember that fatal day when it was announced Dan Carter would not be able to play because he injured his groin. Suddenly, it seemed like the whole nation was in tears. Followed by what seemed like injuries left, right and centre, with players falling out of the team like flies. There were too many moments where it felt like New Zealand’s chance to win the World Cup was definitely over. Yet fast forward to Sunday 30^th October and the country hasn’t stopped partying since 11pm. How did they do it? What was the secret behind the All Blacks standing up strong in the face of adversity and becoming victorious? Each member of the All Blacks faced their own challenges and have their own journey to tell, from Richie McCaw on his injured foot to unlikely hero Stephen Donald, but today my story focuses on the young Aaron Cruden whose battle with adversity took him on a turbulent rollercoaster ride ending up here today as one of the youngest and smallest members of the All Blacks playing one of the biggest roles in bringing home the World Cup.

Aaron Cruden wasn’t even born when New Zealand last won the Rugby World
Cup in 1987. In 2008 aged 19, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He was due to have his left testical removed only days after a crucial match for the Ranfurly Shield. He didn’t tell his team because he didn’t want to distract them, played the game in the weekend and got his operation the following Monday. Unfortunately, the cancer had spread to his lungs and he had to undergo chemotherapy.

"At that age I thought I was invincible; I was 19 and thought I could take on the world. It was a harsh reality check. It’s a harsh way to learn not to take what you have for granted, but I appreciate everything a bit more now."
– Aaron Cruden

Thankfully, the treatment was successful and despite all odds and a testament to Cruden’s determination he made an outstanding comeback. He became the captain of the New Zealand Under 20s leading them to win the Junior World Cup and was also named the IRB Junior Player of the year. His debut in the Super 14s was too good for Graham Henry to ignore and on 30 May 2010 Cruden was selected into the All Blacks Squad.

"It is a reminder he has won tougher battles than any he will encounter on the rugby pitch. He came out of [the cancer scare] mentally tougher than other kids are at his age." – Stu Cruden (Aaron Cruden’s father)

However his debut playing in the Bledisloe Cup wearing the No. 10 jersey was not spectacular and he missed out on being selected for the original 30 man World Cup squad for New Zealand. Instead the story goes he was skateboarding around his hometown, watching the RWC from the sidelines and preparing for a trip to Disneyland when he was called to back up Colin Slade who was replacing Dan Carter. Only nine days later, Slade sustained a similar groin injury to Carter and the responsibility of the All Blacks first five eighth fell to Cruden.

“He had big boots to fill. You will never fill Dan Carter’s boots, but he can fill his own. He’s his own person and that’s important." – Stu Cruden

The match against Argentina, he played with confidence and flair and his game continued to be solid against Australia. He was the starting first five eighth for the final match against France. Unfortunately in the 34^th minute Cruden’s World Cup fairy tale was abruptly cut short when his right knee hyper extended and he became the third member to join Carter’s cursed No.10 club. He was replaced by Stephen Donald. The All Blacks were victorious and Aaron Cruden on crutches joined the rest of his team mates to collect a well-deserved Gold Medal.

"I don't think words can really describe it at this point but I'm just very honoured and humbled to be given this opportunity and be a part of what is now a winning World Cup team here on home soil." - Aaron Cruden

Adversity... it hits us at the worst and best of times. The biggest challenge is to understand that while we might not be able to control what occurs in the world, we can control how we react. With Aaron Cruden lending us his story we’ve picked three tips to help you JOLT your life forward when adversity comes knocking on your door.

Tip #1: Rally your support network

Cruden had the support of his family and friends during his cancer scare and they were the number one reason that he got through the tough times in his life. Gather those that you trust and keep them close. They are the ones with the wisest advice, the widest open arms to help, the sweetest words of comfort all combined with excessive amount of love. With the right support network you will find you can get through anything.

Tip #2: Develop an action plan
When the unthinkable happens, take a step back to clear your mind and try to see things from a new perspective. Learn to meditate, take a road trip, play a sport or read a book. So take time out and when you return you can assess the situation and develop an action plan on how to tackle the problem to move forward. Cruden found his motivation in sporting heroes who were also cancer survivors. Lance Armstrong’s book and Buck Shelford’s similar battle gave him the strength and inspiration to plan his own battle.

Tip #3: Define your attitude
Will you be a victim or a champion? Confront the problem and prepare your mind and accept reality has changed. Try deliberately taking on a positive attitude. Writing some benefits or advantages of the situation can be useful. You can also visualise how you will feel and where you will be when you overcome the obstacle. Choose your attitude and rise to the challenge. During his 9 weeks of chemotherapy, Cruden kept positivity at the top of his mind and was already plotting his return to the rugby fields from his hospital bed.

"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records."- William A.Ward

Self & Identity: Who am I?

2011-10-14 15:22:00.0

So, you think you know who you are but can you answer this question without making reference to your job, gender, sexuality, nationality, faith or appearance? As we grow older and the world becomes more complex and globalised, self reflection seems to take a back seat and identity becomes more about fitting into a label and ticking a box.

In October we looked at the Self & Identity. Knowing our identity helps us to be successfully aligned with the world around us. This is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. Self & Identity will help to create the foundation towards understanding who you are, why you behave the way you do and how understanding your identity can impact the direction and success in your life

Self & SME: Planting the seeds to success!

2011-09-30 15:09:00.0

In the August Self Speaker Series we looked at Self & SMEs. We often hear how many small and medium businesses struggle because of the consequences of stretched leadership, burnout and limited expertise, therefore it is crucial that small and medium sized business owners know how to play to their strengths, compensate for their weaknesses and look after number one.

Hosted by Evie Ashton and held at Westpac; our fantastic and experienced panel of guest speakers discussed how working on YOU can turn your business from a seedling to a full grown tree.

Guest Speakers:
• Jef Kay (Founder of George FM)
• Malcolm Rands (Founder and CEO of Ecostore)
• Seeby Woodhouse (Founder of Orcon Internet and Green Carbon Ltd)
• Liz Wotherspoon ( ICE Bridge and ICE Network Director for The ICEHOUSE)

Check out the highlights below or you can see the whole evening on our youtube channel

Follow three participants as they take us on their 9 week journey

2011-09-14 10:17:00.0

Last night a fully booked public program began their 9 week Self Intelligence journey. Three of the participants Leon, John and Alistair are from different backgrounds and ages and will take us on their JOLT Challenge experience blogging their feelings, thoughts, insights and challenges weekly. New entries will go up every Friday so tune in.

You can view their stories by clicking their name under their photo which can be found on the right hand side of the front page or by clicking the links below

John: http://www.joltchallenge.com/blog/tag/j-journey/

Alistair: http://www.joltchallenge.com/blog/tag/a-journey/

Leon: http://www.joltchallenge.com/blog/tag/l-journey/

Yellow for life, blue for a day!

2011-09-02 10:28:00.0

Today on our Facebook and Twitter you might have noticed we’ve swapped our trademark yellow for blue in support of Blue Friday for Blue September. In case you haven’t heard about it before Blue September is an awareness campaign for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand. We donated a spot on the next JOLT Challenge public program towards their charity auction at their launch party on Wednesday because prostate cancer is an issue quite close to our hearts having family and friends who have been affected by prostate cancer. We have seen people go through the JOLT Challenge program struggling with cancer and have come out at the end of the 9 weeks with real clarity around managing their wellness. They attribute the tools and exercises from the experience towards helping them live a more fulfilling life.

Two nights ago, we headed to the Blue September ‘Blue Tie’ Launch party which kicked off in true blue style at SKYCITY’s Club Lounge. As soon as we got out of the lift, we were greeted by the lovely “Prostate Police” who walked us down the blue carpet accompanied by blue sequined curtains all the while sipping on blue champagne and listening to blues music crooning in the background.

Samoan fire dances started the evening before Shane Cortese took the stage as our MC for the night. The major theme came through loud and clear with key note speaker John Bonard’s address - Men, make sure you are around for your kids and your grandchildren.

“I thought I was 10 foot tall and bullet proof... but then I realised as long as I was 6 foot tall for my kids that is what matters. If I can encourage just one man through this to go and get a PSA check, then I will be a happy man” - John Bongard

Next a very riveting charity auction ensued conducted by Mike Puru who entertainingly took the stage as the auctioneer with his hammer and charm. The spot of the JOLT Challenge program was won by Ian and Jean Hedley with all proceeds going towards the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand. Good stuff Ian and Jean, looking forward to see who you choose for the program.

It was a great evening with lots of crazy blue fun and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Buck Shelford, Frankie Stevens, Slade McFarlan, Ron Cribb and Malua Tipi.

Why blue? It’s simple – blue is for boys!

Did you know men are twice as likely as women to die from cancers that in many cases can be prevented? Come on guys, it’s time to face facts and get cancer aware.

What should you do?

Take responsibility for your health
Having regular health check up and PSA blood check from age 40 - and a DRE prostate check from age 50 - or age 40 if you have a family history of cancer.

Top executives from Global Women call JOLT Challenge life changing

2011-08-11 16:41:00.0

Last year JOLT Challenge was invited to be part of the The inaugural Global Women BreakThrough Leaders Programme. Read the case study below to hear what Global Women and the participants thought of JOLT Challenge.

Due to the success of JOLT Challenge, we will once again be part the Global Women BreakThrough Leaders Programme which commences on the 1st of September 2011.

Participants: Women in Senior Leadership Roles

The pain:
In 2003 New Zealand ranked 4th out of the 36 OCD countries with the highest representation of women in senior management. By 2009 the ranking had dropped to 17th. In 2010, of the last 22 public service departmental chief executive positions, only one woman was appointed and that was as chief executive to the Ministry of Women's Affairs. Global Women’s vision for Women in Leadership is to build a large and sustainable pipeline of women leaders across New Zealand’s large private, public and non-profit organisations, including developing the next generation of New Zealand women leaders.

Called the Global Women BreakThrough Leaders Programme, this is the first step in the Women in Leadership initiative.

The inaugural BreakThrough Leaders programme has provided its 16 participants with high calibre networks, high-level mentoring, and targeted professional and personal learning to significantly increase the number of participant women progressing to senior positions one to three years after programme completion. Global Women has brought together a standout group of New Zealand organisations from the public, private and non-profit sectors to advance the programme’s vision of building a large and sustainable pipeline of women leaders in New Zealand.

The results:
The following are deemed to be noticeable and substantial impacts by the participants as a direct result of JOLT Challenge: 
100% felt that they have a better Self Intelligence and better self-awareness  
100% felt they had become more effective in their communication at work 
85% experienced a better emotional balance
85% felt they can effectively solve work and other problems
100% of the participants would recommend JOLT Challenge

What the client says:

“The JOLT Challenge was incorporated into the Global Women inaugural Breakthrough Leaders’ programme in 2010. Perfectly complementing the Breakthrough Leaders’ programme, the JOLT Challenge provided a comprehensive introduction into the field of self intelligence, which lies at the core of our programme. The JOLT Challenge was chosen as it explores important personal issues in a fun and supportive environment. Almost without realising it, the participants were encouraged to set a deep foundation from which they were well equipped to explore their self-knowledge and their own leadership capacity and style in more depth over the 12 month duration of the programme. The Challenge also enabled the participants to get to know each other well and to form strong bonds, which have strengthened and grown over the duration of the programme. The Programme participants have constantly referred to tools and techniques that they picked up in the JOLT Challenge during the course of the year. So, it has definitely been a strong foundation from which to build the leadership development in our Programme. We will be using the JOLT Challenge again for the next Breakthrough Leaders’ programme.”
— Yvonne McLean, Programme Director

Testimonials:

“A unique opportunity to participate in a programme that through a combination of self assessment, new insights, mental exercise, honesty and meditation you can take a holistic look at yourself and the means by which you can develop your potential and hence be more comfortable in yourself and more attuned to the needs of others.”
— Maureen, Genesis Energy

“The JOLT Challenge can only be described as a journey for me! It's opened up a whole new level of understanding of who you are as a person - physical drivers, your emotions but most importantly how you can control and influence all of that. I've learnt some fantastic tools that I've used in all different aspects of my life (at work, with my kids and at home). This is not a once off course, it's the start of a long term change where they put you in control.”
— Victoria, Telecom

“The JOLT Challenge helps you to draw out that inner person who is bursting to break the mould of mediocrity, complacency and normality to being a world changer!!”
— Rukumoana, NZ Centre for Social Innovation

“JOLT brings together many concepts, which once read seem so obvious, but often evade us in day today life. JOLT has given me the opportunity to contemplate these concepts and easily put them into use in day to day life.”
— Belinda, Westpac

“JOLT Challenge is a program that will impact on all parts of your life positively. The experience of being on this program has been reflective in my career, with successes around embracing change and taking on new challenges. My learning’s also were reflected through to my success of completing my first Ironman. Using a number of the tools we learned from managing stress, prioritizing the many commitments, coupled with the visualization and believing in myself, formed a well executed training program. But more importantly this program took me on a personal journey. By defining my beliefs, values, embracing and understanding emotional intelligence while utilizing very tangible exercises daily such as breathing and relaxation techniques has enabled me to live my life how I want to live it. Thank you for the opportunity to accelerate the journey of my success.”
— Zahra, Uniservices

"JOLT has been an amazing journey for me. A holistic approach to personal development - digging deeper than any other programme I have participated in and providing tools and techniques that I now draw on daily."
— Lara, Pricewaterhouse Coopers