I’m Tina Daisley, a people and performance coach based in Geelong, Victoria.
I’ve notched up over 15 years experience leading teams; ten of these as a senior executive. Along this immensely rewarding journey I’ve become a trained Executive Coach, Mediator and DISC facilitator, as well as had the pleasure of facilitating hundreds of workshops.
I’m often told that it’s not the professional runs on the board that my clients find valuable (although this helps enormously), but the knowledge that I've been there. I’ve been just where they (and perhaps you) are now, both as an individual and a leader: staring down a pathway of where potential and performance become misaligned.
Know this: there’s a different path that leads to much better results. I've learned this by leading and developing teams of all shapes and sizes: virtual, dispersed and multidisciplinary. I'm proud to say that I’ve delivered great results, and I can help you get there too.
“…there’s a different path that leads to much better results.”
There’s no magic wand, no silver bullet. We work hard together to understand what really matters to you or your team, what you want your legacy to be and how to bridge the gap between those two points. From there it gets easier as you become comfortable with discomfort, make conscious decisions and commit to the things that really matter.
From breaking down, to breaking through
My story
For a long time I thought I was successful. I'd built an executive career doing what I love - working with people. I was on a comfortable six-figure salary and I had a dream house on an acre block with an amazing husband and two gorgeous kids. I even had chooks and a dog.
I worked really hard, cared deeply about what I did, and often heard comments like: 'I don't know how you do it', 'How do you manage to juggle it all?' and 'Do you ever sleep?'.
I'd laugh it off and carry on. What I didn't realise was that I 'turned off' the internal voice that was telling me I was overwhelmed and tired. I ignored an awful lot, for a long time. The look in my kids eyes when I'd walk through the door just minutes before they'd go to bed. The tone of frustration and resignation from my friends as I cancelled, again, on our plans.
I reminded myself that I was lucky to have a great job. I'd tell myself almost daily that I just needed to work a bit harder, or a bit smarter, or for a bit longer, and then it would all start to even out.
It didn't, and long story short, I fell over. It was not a spectacular or even dramatic breakdown - it was far more subtle and insidious than that.
“I'd tell myself almost daily that I just needed to work a bit harder, or a bit smarter, or for a bit longer, and then it would all start to even out.”
BREAKDOWN
As a teenager, I had suffered from a form of epilepsy that had long been forgotten; my doctor’s wrote it off as an affliction I had grown out of.
Fast-forward 20 years and as I demanded more and more of myself, drawing upon reserves from deep within, I slowly felt some of my symptoms start to return. I put them down to extreme fatigue; post-viral symptoms that I couldn’t shake.
Tired and worn out as a General Manager of People and Culture in the public sector
Then the more serious symptoms began to appear and I could no longer ignore them. The doctor was very clear: I needed to stop. And after I’d stopped for a while, I needed to slow down. I started by scaling back my hours from 80+ per week, to just 12 hours.
But even this was not enough, and after six months, it was clear that my body was going to have the final say. As I gave myself permission to slow my body, I realised that my mind was switching off and I found myself, quite literally, unable to continue.
I’d broken down.
“As I looked back on the path that led to my breakdown, I realised that I’d lost connection to my values, my reason and my ‘why’.”
REGROUPING
As I looked back on the path that led to my breakdown, I realised that I’d lost connection to my values, my reason and my ‘why’.
I needed to reset, and eventually I found the courage to make some better choices, but boy, were they difficult. I started with giving myself permission to let people down; taking notice of the uncomfortable feeling that came with disappointing others. On the flip side, I started to reconnect with the people and things that I loved and started to honour what was important to me.
It was in this period of reflection that I realised that this absolute commitment to not letting down others had made me less effective as a leader. Sure, I’d built a high-performing team that were incredibly loyal and committed to results, they too were working crazy hours. We all did it together - yet we did so blindly and unsustainably. And as their leader I had let them down.
NEXT STEPS. BUT WHERE TO?
During this time I started to ask myself: how much of what I was doing was because I really wanted to? Six months had gone by and I needed to make a decision about returning to work. In the end I had no control over this - my body did the deciding, and my mind came along kicking and screaming.
A blessing in disguise: my illness allowed me to reconnect with those most important to me
I left my job and the public service. My husband returned to work. Yet I couldn't bear the thought of doing nothing, so my husband suggested I spend a year doing 'what I love'.
I started to spread the word that I was taking on some coaching, facilitation and people consulting, and this business was born.
Facilitating at one of my workshop events in August 2019
My business is about helping people and teams to unpick all the stuff on the surface to reconnect, then redefine their success on their terms.
Today
18 months later, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve created a business helping people and teams to unpick all the stuff on the surface to reconnect, then redefine their success on their terms and stop all the excuses to make it happen. I am the person that helps someone restore and supercharge their confidence, then motivate them to lunge into life on their terms.
I’ve truly found my ‘happy place’ when I'm running a workshop for people and teams who front up, committed to discovering their ‘truth’, how to lead with this truth and how to take control of the lives they are living. Moreover, I’m living my own ‘truth’ when I’m face-to-face with a coaching client, helping them reconnect with their values and purpose to realign, with the courage to leap in the right direction.
It’s the best job in the world - and I’m honoured to be doing this work. I’d love to work with you too. If you think I could help you or your organisation, let’s connect today.