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  1. #1
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    A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Our story is now being used as motivation in organisational performance topic.

    A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog


    One of the most interesting parts of the fairytale finish for this year’s AFL Premiers, the Western Bulldogs, is the central role played by the Children’s book, “Salty Dogs”.

    As described by Luke Beveridge, the General Manager of Football had given him a copy of the book and he was surprised at how the book used a simple story to provide a powerful message around confronting your fears.

    The book was used as a central plank of their language and culture, inspiring the team to get out of their comfort zone, face their fears and a bag record-breaking premiership. Fittingly, the final page of the book spoke about running into the fire, which was really what they had to do when facing their much-favoured opponents in the Sydney Swans on Grand Final Day.

    While it’s been a long time since I’ve considered trying to write a children’s story, it does remind me of the work we do to help clients create big, powerful, repeatable stories to get them through their most wicked challenges. These stories are underpinned and expressed through things that you can make use of in a lot of different scenarios, such as value and vision statements, corporate objectives and employee value propositions. These elements provide a way to anchor your stories and link your cultural drivers to highly visible elements.

    I have seen some stories used to good effect within teams where mantras like “Good to Great”, Looks good, works well” and “Think One Team” inspire a focus on quality, commitment and achieving that extra 1 per cent. Each of these Mantras typically had a set of actions, messages, images and objectives associated with it that helped it to become a meaningful set of concepts similar to what you see in a good story.

    In some other companies I have seen the history of the company, the pride in the products and the richness, scale or the diversity of the business form a highly motivating story. Equally, the service provided to the customer and the meaning in the contribution to the bigger, aspirational picture – when replicated across a business, tells a powerful and highly relatable story. In time, this type of story, if cultivated by the right leader and used in the right way can shape a culture and in turn, underpin a strong and sustainable focus on performance.

    On the flip side, the wrong stories can tear a team or a company apart. Stories of division, entitlement, confusion and criticism can ensure that the ability to inspire a group internally or externally is greatly reduced. The same can be said for stories that do not hit the mark because their elements are too complicated, disconnected and not created in a way that connects with the people.

    So, how do you build and nurture a story that can deliver you your fairytale premiership? These four themes are a good place to start.

    Simple
    Simple stories can be easily recalled, repeated and applied to many different situations. This is the distinct advantage that the kid’s book had in that it is inherently simple, but within its simple content you can draw many parallels and use its learnings in many different situations. The more detailed you get and the more specific you get, the less broad appeal you have. It also almost goes without saying that it’s hard to memorize a complex story, let alone tell it correctly.

    Human
    Building on the idea of a simple story, the next steps is to make it really relatable. A good story needs to connect with people at across many levels and areas, authentically. This means less jargon, less corporate speak and more human, emotive and well-grounded statements. Human stories are boosted by human imagery like faces, in addition to open and honest discussion that demonstrates real empathy and where possible, vulnerability.

    Inspiring
    Stories in this context have a purpose and more often than not they are in place to support an improvement or a maintenance if a great standard. Many teams and companies talk about achieving that “extra one per cent” and statements like this need to be supported by stories to make them applicable to the everyday. Stories also need to be inspiring to ensure they are attractive. Attraction is an important part of getting your people to commit that space in their crowded attention span, in addition to their memory. In a corporate sense, it’s important to, make sure that your high level corporate objectives can be broken down into meaningful chunks that people can relate to in their role. These chunks form part of the story that gives their everyday effort meaning and connection to the bigger effort.

    Visual
    Giving a good story a strong visual representation helps people to understand and recall the key concepts without using reams of text. This can be achieved through both using the right descriptions (like a good novel) and using great graphics such as infographics explaining a journey, genuine (non-stock) photography and clever sketched images that give a unique feel to the composition.

    Wrap up

    So, just like the western bulldogs – keep your eyes open for the right combination of concepts to help your team do something amazing. Remember, to test it well with your people and the more you can get your leaders to embody the story, the better the result will be.
    It always seems impossible until it's done. Nelson Mandela

  2. #2
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    There isn't an awful lot about the footy club in the article. Just generic bits tacked on at the start and the end. I didn't really understand the rest.

    Still if disparate organisations are trying to hook their wagon to ours then our wagon must be pretty big at the moment.
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

  3. #3
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Agreed. There is not a lot about us in the article but the fact is that we are used in various topic in day-to-day life, I could see potential for us to growth.

    We are 'IN" at the moment and I welcome all bandwagoners. This is the avenue to become a big club.

    Here is another example of our story is used as a "business advice" ....

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    What your business can learn from the Western Bulldogs


    A couple of years ago, I recall sitting in the Western Bulldogs boardroom overlooking the Whitten Oval. A long polished table separated me and the corporate leadership team as we discussed a project my company BOOM! had been awarded to deliver for their membership team.

    Towards the end of this conversation, I directed a question to them: “If you could go back in time and tell the club leaders of the day, the Bulldogs will not win a Premiership for over 60 years—would that have changed the strategy and direction of the club?”

    Their response was an unreserved, “yes”. We proceeded to chat about what could have been done differently over that time. There was no one definitive answer; this is a weighty question and the answers shed light on something all businesses can benefit from.


    What did the Bulldogs do differently to drive them to the ultimate success?

    There are variables and countless people that contribute to a Premiership winning team, yet there are a number of critical ‘rocks’ that form the foundation. These rocks include:

    • Appointing a young, relevant coach who cares from rival club Hawthorn – loaded with years of success IP;
    • Passionate board members prepared to put skin-in-the-game and invest in the club;
    • A smart recruiting department;
    • The culture and effort of the playing group, including on and off field leadership; and
    • Lastly, the final rock – belief.


    When you infuse a group of young men (or any group of people for that matter) with a deep sense of belief, belief in themselves, and genuine belief they are writing history (the cause), you can see how not only the club, but its members and the broader community rally around the vision.

    Western Bulldogs success rocks:

    • A strong team vision and belief in ‘the cause’;
    • Leaders who genuinely care and invest skin-in the game;
    • Success IP, embedding proven strategies and tested tools;
    • The right people – the art of recruiting and developing talent;
    • A strong non-negotiable culture; and
    • Effort and a willingness to fight to the end.


    The Western Bulldogs will ride high on this success for years to come. I dare say, there may not be a need for BOOM! this coming year; I have a sneaky suspicion the membership numbers will take care of themselves. One thing we know is—success breeds success, so the kennel will be bursting in 2017. Well done Bulldogs! #YearOfTheDog
    It always seems impossible until it's done. Nelson Mandela

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  5. #4
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Anyone know who wrote the book? There is one by that name by Gloria Rand apparently not the right one? Also one by Matty Long

    http://robynandleon.com/western-bulldogs-salty-dogs/

  6. #5
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Bring back Graeme Lowe.
    Listening to Brahm's 3rd Racket

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  8. #6
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Quote Originally Posted by The Doctor View Post
    Bring back Graeme Lowe.
    Underestimated in the role he played.

    Seemed to keep Bevo on the straight and narrow.
    More of an In Bruges guy?

  9. #7
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    It seems the Gloria Rand book is the right one. There was one on eBay which I ordered, also available on Amazon

    EDIT: It isn't the right one it seems! See below
    Last edited by BulldogBelle; 15-03-2021 at 06:26 PM.

  10. #8
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Quote Originally Posted by Fossie 32 View Post
    It seems the Gloria Rand book is the right one. There was one on eBay which I ordered, also available on Amazon
    Good to see you post again.

    The other ones I found are:

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/salty-d...472907981.html

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/salty-d...478711278.html

    https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-sal...736380321.html
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

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  12. #9
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Thanks Bornadog

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  14. #10
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Good to see you back Fossie 32. So good to be able to get back to the footy again soon after we were all in lockdown in 2020. How’s it going on Phillip Island?
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

  15. #11
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Quote Originally Posted by Eastdog View Post
    Good to see you back Fossie 32. So good to be able to get back to the footy again soon after we were all in lockdown in 2020. How’s it going on Phillip Island?
    Thanks Eastdog! Getting busier down here but still way better than the Big Smoke

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  17. #12
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    Re: A Fairytale inspired by a salty dog

    Finally found out who wrote the book [after buying 3 copies of the wrong one hehe]

    https://cargocollective.com/leonwilson/Salty-Dogs

    From 'Dale Thomas' :

    The book was written by a guy called 'Leon Wilson', a creative director, who was working at an advertising agency in Melbourne called CHE Proximity.

    The book was intended as an internal philosophy for the agency. Every person who got a job there received a copy of the book on their first day.

    As a result, I don't think you can buy it or it's publicly available. Best chance is probably to get in touch with Leon directly, or find someone who works at CHE.

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