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Paula left Portsmouth in October 2004, and, with no
sailing experience, was immediately in at the deep end with a Force 8
gale and a ‘man overboard’ on the first night; within ten hours of
leaving the calm and safety of home. She then suffered the heat of the
tropics as she crossed the equator and doldrums, bound for Buenos Aires.
Trying to get enough sleep in her bunk within the 45º C steel hull was a
challenge in itself.
Then, in circumnavigating Cape Horn to New Zealand,
Paula and her crew had the misfortune of not one but TWO medical
evacuations and spent 54 days battling the 40’ waves and icy storms to
Wellington. When they arrived they were greeted with a hero’s welcome, 3
weeks after all the other boats, having had to sail an extra 3000 miles
to drop off their sick team-mates.
Paula experienced some huge highs and huge lows
during the Global Challenge. Her crew won the most Awards and probably
came out of it the toughest and closest team out of the 12, having
suffered the trauma and mental strain of their daunting 2nd leg around
Cape Horn.
Personally, she had to dig ‘very deep’ during the
challenge and developed an inner strength, a determinedly competitive
attitude, and massive tolerance and perseverance. Her book BOAT
to BOARDROOM uses the Global Challenge as an extreme case study,
referencing it to provide lessons, advice and practical exercises in
high performance leadership and teamwork.
Further Adventures
Paula Reid has 18 years experience in training and
communications and 22 years experience as an adventurer pushing her
personal boundaries.
In another ground breaking expedition in 2001,
Paula paddled 600 miles down the Mekong River in a dugout canoe which
she bought off a tribal chief in rural Cambodia. She hit rocks and
rapids, capsized, cooked all her meals on a fire and got arrested! She
has also paddled down the San Juan River in Nicaragua. In 2008 she took
up mountaineering.
Paula has been to 43 countries and achieved 76 of
her ‘things to do before she dies’.
In Business
Paula has spent the last 18 years in training,
corporate events, conferences and internal communications for companies
such as Sainsbury’s, Glaxo Smith Kline, Royal Bank of Scotland, Airbus,
The Post Office and AXA; and for organisations such as Government
departments and Cancer Research UK.
Paula spent 8 years managing a communications
agency and now freelances as a speaker, trainer, coach and facilitator.
Her time spent in business helping corporations,
charities and Government departments communicate more clearly their
strategies, brand, vision and values, customer service, etc, means she
can combine her zest and learning from her numerous adventures with
valuable and refreshing business messages and insights.
Paula speaks candidly and humorously about the
Global Challenge but is able to draw valuable conclusions between both
personal and professional challenges that people and businesses face
today. This application of a real, extreme experience to organisations
is the basis of her book BOAT to BOARDROOM.
She gets under the skin of business objectives and
then drives home the messages with value-added intelligence. Book her
for straight motivational adventure or business-focussed narrative.
In addition:
Paula can shape her presentation according to your
objectives
Paula can plan, manage or facilitate workshops as
part of your meeting
Workshops
Paula typically works direct with clients in
delivering training, facilitation and workshops. She does not believe in
off-the-shelf solutions, but offers expertise that she would tailor to
your business objectives. She covers Global Challenge high performance
in the following areas:
Leadership
High Performance
Strategy and Tactics
Crisis Prevention and Management
Teamwork – The Basics
Advanced Teamwork
Motivation
Communication
Personal Development
Client Testimonials
Paula’s skill in delivering instant summaries of
key issues and on-the-spot briefing to our Ministers and Secretary of
State at live events has been critical to gaining public understanding
of difficult issues; she is a real asset to our team.
Tiffany St James, Event Producer, Department for Work and
Pensions
Paula brings not only buckets of enthusiasm,
vitality and energy to her work but also an exceptionally high level of
creativity, intelligence and finishing skills…Paula’s core competencies
stretch across…complete understanding of client business needs…total
deliverability… and a power station of positive energy.
Lorne Armstrong, Director, The Eventworks
We would like to thank you for your excellent
contribution to the BEF World Class Development Programme Biannual Cross
Discipline Event on the 30th November. Your knowledge and experience
within this complex industry will really help to support their
development as ‘professional’ riders. I know that the riders appreciated
your involvement and input on the day and will have learnt a lot from
it... Thank you so much. You were fabulous.
Victoria Underwood, World Class Development Manager, British
Equestrian Federation
I enjoyed how the presentation could be related to
the NHS even though it’s poles apart from racing.
I really liked the interaction and the video clips.
The examples of theories used during the race were particularly
interesting.
The speaker talked about a very different environment to our own
but we could relate. It made the session interesting.
I wasn’t sure how it would link with leadership but it worked
extremely well.
I feel really motivated now. I now believe I can achieve anything
I want.
NHS, Reactive Leadership talk and training
I particularly enjoyed the Global Challenge talk –
it was fascinating and inspiring and put into context the challenges we
face in our business.
The Global Challenge video was really interesting and I found the
link between sports analogies/business clear.
The Global Challenge story – a fresh, inspiring way of looking at
teamwork.
Unum Financial Underwriting Team
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