I thought I would write a quick update before heading off to the airport. I’m off to Ireland again tonight to spend Christmas with some friends.

I’m sitting at my desk trying to wrap everything up for the year and get everything sorted for the start of 2009 which is looking to be another busy year. I spoke at several events this week all over England and spent yesterday as SANTA!!!

Monday I was down in Dorset in the south of the country for 2 events one which was a community lecture about my expeditions. I had 80 people from the local area come to the presentation which was fantastic. I was put up in this great little country pub in the village and the local’s really looked after me.

This trip has been amazing for a number of reasons one of which is it enabled me to travel to some great little places around the UK. Places that I would never have got to and I have met some very special people.

Wednesday night I was back in London speaking at an awards dinner for a group of A level students again it was a fantastic night and a privilege to be part of an evening celebrating young peoples success.

Wednesday I received a call from a friend to see if I could help out with a great organisation called Kids Company. This charity organisation provides practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children and young people and yesterday I was asked to play Santa at a small school in East London. We had 6 classes of 5 and 6 year olds come in and celebrate Christmas with us and there was a special visit from the man in the red suit. It was with out a doubt a very special day and it’s amazing how good you feel after giving just a little bit back.

Its been a memorable 2008 and I wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas.

I have to admit I have always been a little skeptical when it came to social networking web sites and I have never really got into it until recently. I have started blogging on Twitter over the last few months and I am finding it is a fantastic little tool.

I have had some pretty interesting meeting’s in and around central London over the last week and I have met with a variety of people from a wide range of industries. The meetings have been in relation to potential speaking engagements for the end of this year and the beginning of the new year. 

I have found it extremely positive to see that at a time of a “economic crisis” that senior manages still see the need and importance to engage and motivate staff on all levels. When many would expect to see heads buried in the sand, the very opposite seems to be happening with people stepping up to the plate and having the courage to lead in a time of adversity.

The analogies with this type of leadership and adventure are clear and obvious and I have cast my mind back to some of the leaders of my early expeditions. It was their strength and guidance in time’s of crisis and pressure which inevitably saw our teams succeed.

It’s this rising to the challenge and never say die attitude which has a positive flow on effect to all those around thus creating much needed drive.

I look forward to being part of this process.     

The madness has continued over the last few days and I can’t get over just how busy things are…but no complaints here. I spoke at the LETG conference just outside of Birmingham on Friday morning which I thoroughly enjoyed, its always a bit of a buzz speaking to an international audience and it keeps me on my toes.

Today I have just got back from an early morning venture up to Hertfordshire about 30 miles out of London to speak at school leadership day. I know that a lot of speakers agree with me when I say how great it is to speak to young people their enthusiasm and energy always leaves me with a smile on my face and I will be heading back to the school in December to be a guest at their awards night.

The speaking enquiries are still rolling in and I have some interesting bookings coming up which will see me crisscrossing the country and getting to some parts of the UK that I would never have seen, I’m really excited. I have also had an enquiry to speak at a conference in Africa in January so fingers crossed for that one.

Well I have arrived in London and hit the ground running. I’ve been here 72 hours and it feels like a month. I have had a number of really positive meetings over the last few days and next week is as busy as this one.

I have also had over 40 schools make enquiries about me coming to give presentations for their students, so it looks like the next few months will be flat out. I am off in a few minuets to Birmingham where I am speaking at a big conference tomorrow morning. I am actually giving 2 presentations back to back as there was an overwhelming response from the delegates.

Hoping to catch up with some friends this weekend and also get some good sleep.

More soon…. 

Ive been relatively quiet the last few weeks and by that I mean I haven’t been traveling which has really given me time to get everything ready for London and to also get ready for the next 3 weeks.

Friday I start a road show for Accenture at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne then Monday I am up to Brisbane for 2 speaking engagements, one for SAP Business Intelligence and another for PWC. I’m then heading back to Sydney to speak for the YMCA and then down to Canberra for another gig for Accenture.

The following week I am speaking for Gallup Consulting and at the Human Resources Institute of Australia’s annual awards night, then 2 more Accenture job’s in Canberra and Brisbane respectively. Add to that I have 3 schools to speak at and before I know it ill be on the plane for the UK.