Omega 2023 – a year of unrest. Well, 2023 began with thoughts of Covid firmly behind us. The United Nations declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets and the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace.
This year of unrest is crying out for peace and justice. Not just on the international stage, also within organisations and communities. This is in line with a backdrop of increasing social unrest, organisations being called out for performative actions around Black inclusion, employees have stayed firm in their refusal to work 100% in the office, and Generation Z are reluctant to work in the same way that previous generations did.
Cost of living is still rising, causing employees to seek alternative income sources. The side hustle has become a real second or third income stream. This means employees are less willing to give the free labour previous generations did. No longer working through lunch, employees are using their lunch hour to work on their own ventures. Then when the ‘work day’ is done, focus switches to their own small businesses. With the psychological contract between employees and the organisation on its last legs, employees are fearing restructuring, redundancies, and burnout. Employers are fearing disengagement, apathy and distracted hybrid workers – the working environment may never be the same again.
We’ve seen a huge uptick of companies asking for support to help them change their company cultures, align, build diversity awareness or enhance leadership capability. There is a steady realisation that for companies to survive and thrive, the leadership cultures that we have and how people feel and work within them, is key. So called ‘soft skills’, have become the decider of leadership success.
There has also been an increase in business owners and senior leaders seeking mentoring to grow their businesses or amplify their influence.
In a world of unrest the only way to create certainty is to take action yourself.
Judith Germain
and thankfully, we at Maverick Paradox are all about catalysing transformation – in conjunction with my passion of creating clear thinking and decisive leaders!
Omega 2023 – a year of unrest
Other things also happened in 2023 …
- 5 Jan Funeral for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI presided over by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome.
- 19 Jan New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern announces she is stepping down as Prime Minister after five and a half years
- 28 Feb FBI Director Christopher Wray confirms the bureau believes COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from a lab accident in Wuhan, China
- 4 March Historic High Seas Treaty agreed by nations at the UN, aiming to place 30% of the seas into protected areas by 2030, 1st international ocean protection agreement for 40 years
- 7 March Gender equality now “300 years away” and “vanishing before our eyes” for reasons including maternal mortality and early marriage, according to UN Secretary General António Guterres in speech for International Woman’s Day
- On 30 March key figures in Artificial Intelligence including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak sign an open letter warning the race to develop AI systems is out of control, asking for suspension for at least six months
- 26 April Brazilian Portuguese-language Michaelis dictionary adds “pelé” as a new adjective to its online edition, meaning “exceptional, incomparable, unique
- 9 May Former US President Donald Trump is found guilty of sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in a New York court and ordered to pay $5 million for battery and defamation
- June 9 Former UK PM Boris Johnson resigns as an MP accusing government Committee of trying to “drive me out,” ahead of their report investigating if he misled the government over lockdown parties
- 1 July Dutch King Willem-Alexander makes formal apology for the country’s role in the slave trade, at 160th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Netherlands
- 1 August Former US President Donald Trump is indicted on charges of conspiring to defraud the country and prevent the peaceful transfer of power by special counsel Jack Smith
- 6 Oct American Simone Biles wins all-round gold at the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, – becoming the most decorated gymnast ever with 34 world and Olympic medals
- 14 Nov World’s first protected area for endangered sperm whales set up off the coast of Caribbean island of Dominica [1]
A lot more happened in 2023 in hindsight, and to be honest, reviewing the year from a global perspective was a lot more depressing than I remembered. It became extremely difficult choosing what to highlight, or even to get through reading what had happened globally this year. What with wars and armed conflict (there are 110 armed conflicts this year), political unrest, natural disasters, and the creeping rise of the cost of living, it has been depressing indeed.
There was good news however, like the first vaccine for bees was approved, and new research confirms fossil footprints 23,000-21,000 years old at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, which were probably the oldest evidence of humans in the Americas.
What about you Judith?
This is what I wrote on New Years Day in 2023:
- This year sees me taking more time out for personal reflection and growth, I didn’t really do that last year.
- I will continue to develop my LinkedIn Newsletter – Leadership is personal, where I share Maverick Insights on thriving in a complex, constantly changing world. Do check it out.
- I will also continue hosting and developing: The Maverick Paradox Podcast which is now in the top 2% global most popular podcasts up from being in the top 5% this time last year!
- I will continue to be the Editor of The Maverick Paradox Magazine, sourcing great writers and sharing their insight with the world.
- This year also sees me continuing as HRZone’s Leadership Columnist and Culture Pioneer Judge.
- I will write book 2!
- The launch of the 6 week Amplify Your Influence Intensive Group Programme will take place later this year.
- The launch of my ‘How Influential are you?’ Scorecard later this month. If you want to make a real difference this year – then you must take 5 minutes and complete it. You can do it here.
- Continued C-Suite mentoring and Maverick Leadership is also on the cards for this year.
- More interviews and public speaking also, as well as the development of a new website!
- I’m also looking to have a couple more partnerships in place
How’d you do?
Well, in 2023, I didn’t really do as much reflecting as I wanted to. I didn’t get round to writing for my LinkedIn newsletter either. It just slid down the priority list and never climbed up again! I intend to rectify that next year.
The Maverick Paradox Podcast was 6 years old this month and is now ranked in the global top 1.5% most popular podcast and #2 Best UK Leadership podcast to follow in 2023. This is up from #11 last year. There has been over 370 episodes published and listened to in 160 countries.
As Founder and Editor of The Maverick Paradox Magazine, I’ve been pleased to see it to go up in ranking from #59 best leadership blog online to #31. I have also enjoyed judging the Culture Pioneer Awards this year, and am looking forward to the ceremony in 2024!
I didn’t write book 2 this year, however, I do have it as a priority for 2024 though! Nor did I get the time to launch the 6 week Amplify Your Influence Intensive Group Programme – concentrating on immersive 121 mentoring with Business Owners and Senior Leader instead. The ‘How Influential are you?’ scorecard was launched and is helping a lot of people discover how to be more influential and how to amplify their influence. The new website was put on pause as I concentrated on other things and continued to develop the proposition – next year will see its emergence.
2023 has been a busy year for me, here are a few highlights:
- The Maverick Paradox Podcast moved its ranking from the top 5% in 2021 to top 1.5% in 2023 global most popular podcasts.
- The Maverick Paradox Podcast moved its ranking from number 11 to number 2 Best Leadership Podcast in the UK to follow in 2022.
- The Maverick Paradox Magazine moved its ranking from 59 to 50 Best Leadership Blog out of thousands of blogs on the web!
- I judged the Brand Category of the Culture Pioneers Awards 2023. This was a lot of fun.
- Lots of training courses designed and delivered.
- I spoke at The Institute of Leadership’s Leadership Live event, delivering a Masterclass on ‘How to engage and retain future leaders’.
- The design and delivery of Change Management Programmes with a focus on effective behavioural change.
- I was a guest on a number of The OMG Center’s webinars sharing my expertise to Digital Agency Owners.
- I was interviewed by Managing Editor Becky Norman (HRZone Magazine) for their Culture Pioneers Webinar.
- I attended the Institute of Leadership’s Leadership Awards. I was a Finalist in the Leadership Excellence Awards. I wrote about the interesting and fun evening here.
Maverick Insights
The Maverick Paradox started (May 23) producing monthly Maverick Insights based on themes addressed by Maverick Paradox Media (podcast and articles). Here are the current Maverick Insights:
- Maverick Insights on Mental Health
- Maverick Insights on Culture
- Maverick Insights on Influence
- Maverick Insights on Impact
- Maverick Insights on Productivity
- Maverick Insights on Black Inclusion
- Maverick Insights on Stress
- Maverick Insights on Happiness
Expert Opinion / Articles / Podcasts
I’ve had my expert opinion featured in a number of articles and podcasts, here are a few:
- Forbes
- The HR Director
- Edge
- Global Leaders Today
- Management Today
- HRD Connect
- Ambition
- AllBright
- DiversityQ
- Business Chief
- Headspring
- D&I Leaders
- Professional Manager
- Financial Accountant
- People Managing People
- D&I Spy
- Employer News
- Five Books
- Elite Business Magazine
- Business Leader
- Becoming Bridge Builders
- The Rabbi and The Shrink
Awards and Honour Lists
The Maverick Paradox has won 2 awards and I became a finalist in 5 awards. It has been a humbling experience.
WINNER – The Innovation & Excellence Award: Management Training Specialists of the Year
The Innovation and Excellence Awards truly celebrate remarkable achievements and outstanding service provided by businesses and individuals. What makes this accolade even more significant is that the winners are meticulously selected by an independent panel of industry experts.
The Maverick Paradox has been recognised for making a profound impact on the industry by delivering unparalleled management training and surpassing the expectations of our clients.
FINALIST – She Inspires Award. Category: Women in Digital
This recognition celebrates the extraordinary contributions of women in the digital sector, who have not only excelled in their respective fields but have also showcased outstanding use of digital technology and techniques to uplift others and foster inclusivity and innovation within their communities.
FINALIST – National Facilitator Awards. Category: Engaging Excellence
The facilitator who wins the Engaging Excellence award will evidence that they deliver more than just content, they go the extra mile to ensure all delegates in their session are actively engaged and achieving the learning objectives.
They will be confident in using technology, activities and questioning to keep delegates engaged.
FINALIST – Great British Businesswoman. Category: Media Businesswoman
The Great British Businesswoman Awards were established to recognise, celebrate, and support women in business, highlighting their achievements and contributions while fostering the next generation of female business leaders.
The Media Businesswoman Award is a prestigious category that celebrates exceptional women who have made significant contributions to the media industry in the United Kingdom.
This accolade recognises their outstanding achievements, innovative leadership & vision, social responsibility, diversity and entrepreneurial spirit within the ever-evolving media landscape. The Media Businesswoman Award is a testament to the remarkable individuals who have made a lasting impact on the media sector through their vision, determination, and groundbreaking initiatives.
The Media Businesswoman Award aims to honour an outstanding female entrepreneur who has made a lasting impact on the media industry, within television, print, broadcasting, outdoor or Out of Home (OOH), transit and digital /new media/internet. The winner will serve as an inspiration to aspiring businesswomen and contribute to raising the bar for excellence within the media sector in the United Kingdom.
FINALIST – The Leadership Awards. Category: Leadership Excellence
The Leadership Awards celebrate inspiring leaders who are shaping the future and driving the future.
The Leadership Excellence Award is awarded to an individual that demonstrates all Five dimensions of Leadership: Authenticity, Vision, Achievement, Ownership & Collaboration.
WINNER – Corporate Coaching and Recruitment Awards. Category: Most Engaging Leadership Coaching Consultancy 2023
These awards recognise the hard work and commitment of companies and individuals in the Coaching and Recruitment industries.
The Corporate Coaching and Recruitment Awards 2023 honours outstanding companies in their respected industries.
FINALIST – Executive Coach of the Year
Paseda360 National Coaching Awards. Executive Coach of the Year
TechRound BAME 50
I was named #33 of TechRound’s annual BAME50, which celebrates the U.K. and Europe’s most underrepresented group of entrepreneurs and business owners. The BAME Top 50 List is one of the highlights of the year and last year’s list was featured across local, regional and national press, including Forbes, Wikipedia, Business Insider, Exeter University, University Arts London, Lincoln News, Harrow Times and Preston News amongst others.
Omega 2023 – a year of unrest. It has been an interesting year and I look forward to seeing what 2024 brings.
Footnote
I am the Founder and one of the Featured Columnists for The Maverick Paradox Magazine. You can read all my articles for The Maverick Paradox Magazine by clicking below.
