DIRK GILLEARD

I saw my friend and colleague Dirk Gilleard this week and he reminded me that we mustn't let anyone tell us or tell our children and young people that we are not bright, not clever and not full of potential. It was great to simply talk to Dirk about the things that really matter and remember how great it was to work with him in Leeds!

Dirk is now finishing his book and that will focus on the fact that we can learn whatever skills we need to be more productive, more effective and more successful. Dirk Passionately believes that can become whatever you really, really want to become. You can do whatever you really, really want to do. You can become a great engineer... a touch typist... or develop expertise with a computer. You can become a terrific negotiator... or a super salesperson. You can learn to speak another language... to play a musical instrument....or learn to write effectively. You can train to run a marathon. These are all skills and abilities you can acquire, as soon as you decide to and make them a priority in your busy life.

His message to me, as always, was "just do it!".