Mark Carter - Add Value

First published in 2020 by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
42 McDougall St, Milton Qld 4064

Office also in Melbourne

Typeset in FreightTextProMedium-Regular 11/14 pt by Aptara, India

John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2020

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

ISBN: 978-0-730-38402-1

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address above.

Cover design by Wiley

Cover image Fokin Ihor/Shutterstock

Internal illustrations: Angela Stefanoff of Goldi Design and Monika Obrist of Refresh Design

Disclaimer

The material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only, and does not represent professional advice. It is not intended to provide specific guidance for particular circumstances and it should not be relied on as the basis for any decision to take action or not take action on any matter which it covers. Readers should obtain professional advice where appropriate, before making any such decision. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the author and publisher disclaim all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any person taking or not taking action based on the information in this publication.

Mark has over 20 years' experience as a learning and development professional, globally. As a former tour leader and training manager with Contiki Holidays he brings a unique perspective of depth and personal stories to conversations around behavioural sciences, business, value and growth, both personally and professionally.

Mark is an international keynote speaker, trainer and coach. He is the founder of a learning management system for individuals and SMEs. He's a regular contributor to mainstream media including RendezView, News.com, 2SM/2HD, Studio 10 and GQ Australia in addition to leading business and industry publications like REB, Elite Agent and Travel Bulletin. He is accredited in a variety of recognised leading behavioural profile tools.

In addition to authoring his first book Ignite Your Potential, Mark shared an initial overview of his Value Model in his TEDxCasey talk, Paws and Effect: How teddy bears increase value perception'.

Born in England, fermented in Scotland, nurtured by Europe and matured through several round-world trips, Mark Carter is a truly global citizen. He now calls Australia (Melbourne) home, where he enjoys the fruits of a sunny lifestyle. Mangoes, after all, don't grow in Edinburgh.

We live in an era of hashtag wisdom. Where once we would turn to our elders for guidance and inspiration, we now put influencers on a pedestal, allowing them to dust off and churn out tired old clichs and motivational one-liners that attempt to capture the complexities of life into hashtag-sized snacks for the masses. Warning: If this is what you are looking for, it may be a good time to put this book down and log onto Facebook.

Feeling challenged? #nevergiveup

Feeling nostalgic? #tbt

Feeling grateful? #blessed

Need attention? #humblebrag

The problem with these cute little catchphrases is that they inevitably fall short of offering any true insight or universal truth. They simply become shortcuts to superficial expression and worse still, have the potential to feed your delusions about life and actually hide the truth from you. Buddhism suggests the path to enlightenment as being able to journey deep within yourself to shatter false beliefs and behavioural habits. The more we attempt to succinctly define truth with any amount of brevity, the further we move from our ability to understand its true meaning.

This is why so many people struggle to establish a true connection with others: they lack the narrative to articulate emotions through words.

In his book The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran wrote:

Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart's knowledge. You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams.

In this beautifully crafted prose, Gibran suggests that we are all inherently born with self-knowledge. We just need to tap into its truth. And this understanding of self has never been more relevant than now, as we find ourselves on the verge of a new era in artificial intelligence. Very quickly, machines are starting to replace the need for us to complete mundane tasks, but they can never replace the emotional aptitude required for us to live a fulfilled life. Industry 4.0 will inevitably increase the importance and need for self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy and social skills.

I first met Mark during the curation process for TEDxCasey. While I was initially enamoured by his contagious enthusiasm and high-octane presence, I soon discovered that it was his understanding of people and his unique style of contextual storytelling that truly allowed him to engage with others to awaken and expand consciousness. A modern day shaman, if you will.

In this book, Mark takes storytelling to a new level by deep diving into the world of value' using concepts from some of our greatest thought leaders and lessons from his own unique journey. I would encourage you to find your own little corner of the universe and create an environment that will allow you to read, absorb and find your own meaning. This book is the deep dive we all need to go beyond the superficial presented to us in our daily lives.

In the end, your journey must be defined on your own terms. Use this book as a compass for your own path and create a world that is truly yours. #happyreading

Chris Hall

Entrepreneur and startup guru

Thanks to all at TEDxCasey and friends who turned up to support the event. To Viki, Mama Bear, for connecting Lucy; in turn Chris, Sandra and all at Wiley who supported the completion of this book.

TTI Success Insights: among my preferred instruments of choice when consulting behavioural sciences.

Contiki colleagues and clients: some of my longest standing friends and allies. Ten years in the laboratory of 13-metre-long tour coaches turns out among the best petri dish experiments for insights into human behaviour! Not to mention the rich tapestry of history, culture and traditions one is exposed to.

Thanks Chris for the foreword and collaborations past, present and future. Carter-Hall podcasts are going to be fun Hawkman!

For my immediate family: Nick and Judy, John and Nova, Dad, Connor, Ross, Paul and Sally, and Frances. Regardless the distance, space or time you remain in my own Dunbar's number! Thanks too, Mum (going above and beyond motherly duties, turning four decades' experience as a librarian into a role as informal editor!).