From the Archives: Geoff Stone’s Characteristics of Successful People

Back-story

Recently we had a significant hail storm with moderate hail and water damage to a number of rooms of our house and garage.

We had to move a lot of furniture and many boxes of our possessions we have had stored in the garage to enable the tradesmen access to do their work.

We took the opportunity to go through these items, sort and cull the unneeded to give us more space.

In sorting through a box of CDs, I came across one 2 CD pack I had produced back in 2006, as a bonus resource for students at my course, “Importing and Exporting an Overview of the Basics,” which I presented at a number of Community Colleges in Sydney, Australia.

The title was:

“Geoff Stone’s Characteristics of Successful People” (You can see the cover of the 2 CD package in the title graphic above.)

It was a 2 hour interview with Geoff Stone, who I met back in 1997 at Mosman Community College on Sydney’s North Shore and not far from Taronga Park Zoo.

Over the years I developed a strong friendship with Geoff and his wife Midge.

Geoff was a very famous media personality in Australia back in the 1970s and 80s, who shared with me a wealth of practical wisdom from his amazing life.

I had many discussions about his working with Winston Churchill, Australian Prime Ministers, business leaders and media personalities.

I arranged to interview him a number of times and this CD was produced with his blessing to be given as a “Success Resource” to my Import/Export Students.

Geoff, has “gone to God” as he would say back in 2015.

However part of his legacy lives on in this treasured interview which I share with you in the following formats:

1) Brief Excerpts from Interviews with Geoff Stone - Text

2)  Geoff Stone a Brief Biography - Text

3) Audio Interview on Video - Geoff Stone’s Characteristics of Successful People Part 1 Success Principles - 1 hour

4) Audio Interview on Video - Geoff Stone’s Characteristics of Successful People Part 2 Our Belief Systems – 1 hour

1)Brief Excerpts from Interviews with Geoff Stone

Tell us about your favourite mentor and what he taught you?

Geoff: His name was Winston Churchill, and he chaired our National Young Conservative Committee in London in the 1950's. The first thing he taught me was never to give in, no matter how dark life became.

These were post World War 2 war days. Churchill had been sacked by a nation that wanted a better way of life than in the 1930s. Clement Attlee was now prime minister, and Churchill leader of the opposition. The Queen had offered him the highest honour of The Order of the Garter, but in typical Churchill fashion he refused saying, "Why would I accept The Order of the Garter, when the nation has given me The Order of the Boot!"

What is your best memory of Winston Churchill ?

Geoff: After one of our meetings I asked how he received the task of becoming Prime Minister of Britain in 1940. This must have been a heavy burden after the defeat ofFrance, the evacuation of our troops from Dunkirk, our lack of pilots and aircraft, coupled with the fact that we didn't have enough money to fight a prolonged war. In fact many influential people both at home and abroad thought that Britainwas finished!

He looked me straight in the eye, and rumbled, “There was no value in thinking of defeat, so I focused all my mind and energy towards achieving ultimate victory!”

I have never forgotten those words, and to this day I think of them as my guide in life. Although he is long dead, he is still my mentor, and in times of stress I ask myself what he would have done in my place.

The answer is always clear and positive.

What are some other experiences with Winston Churchill?

Geoff: One bitterly cold, grey London day our committee emerged from London's Dorchester Hotel. Churchill was ahead of me, shoulders stooped in his dark overcoat, cigar firmly clamped in his mouth, and his hat in his right hand.

Suddenly I was aware of a curt female voice behind me. It commanded, “Winston, put your hat on!” Without breaking step the old man put the hat on without argument.

A couple of taxi drivers awaiting their passengers watched the scene, and I heard one say to the other, “Oh! Blimey, if I'd known she was the one in charge of the bloody war, I'd never have volunteered!”

Tough though he had to be during the war, he had a sentimental side. I had been asked to introduce him at a national Young Conservatives conference. The venue was packed, and as soon as I spoke his name, the applause for this grand old warrior was deafening. He joined me on the stage, paused, tears rolling down his cheeks. Within moments he composed himself, and gave us an inspiring speech of hope and confidence for our futures.

In those days we needed it. These were the days of The Cold War between Russia, and the Western Allies.

Atomic bombs had been dropped in anger twice at the end of World War 2. One on Nagasaki and one on Hiroshima. The devastation was so great that Japan surrendered within days.

In the 1950's the daily threat was from even more powerful hydrogen bombs, and we all lived in daily fear of attack by Russian missiles. We all believed the Cold War could become hot at any moment; such was the antagonism and distrust between west and east. I remember one newspaper article describing the effect of an H bomb on London.

It read:

“Many who were the point of impact would be vaporised; and the damage and fallout, immense, and people 50 miles from the detonation point would suffer a long and lingering death.”

Having suffered from the rockets of World War 2, Londoners were surprisingly philosophical about living and working in the nation’s capital. If one of those Russian bombs hit us, we wouldn't even know about it.

We would be history in milliseconds. So many of us, me included, reckoned London was the best place to be if the worst happened. You can't argue with an atomic bomb, but you can decide not to give in to the fear, and find ways to get on with life in a positive manner.

What are key insights you learned from Winston Churchill ?

Geoff: Our committee had regular meetings with Churchill during the early fifties, and from him I learned many concepts that were new to me at the time. Here are some of them.

Not to give in.

To find new and positive ways to deal with life's obstacles.

To accept failure as an outcome, not a defeat.

To see solutions not problems.

To know that failure is a learning process.

To know your desired outcome.

To recognise that emotions have enormous power.

To keep an eye out for opportunities.

To listen actively, because from this we learn.

To avoid judgement, and finally

To realise that nothing happens until you act.

I shall be eternally grateful for the opportunity to meet and work with Winston Churchill, and to learn from his wisdom, and all this at the tender age of 20!

I understand you also had an opportunity to talk at length with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Geoff: Yes, that of course was many years after talking to Winston Churchill, but the two men have a lot in common. All the things I learned from Churchill, that I mentioned a few moments ago, were also concepts that John Howard lives by. They also have other parallels. Strong constitutions are essential when dealing with stress, especially that of long hours of work, and equally long hours of overseas travel. Both faced years of rejection and national pressure, and both won through with persistence and dedication to their beliefs. Both expressed a positive attitude to finding solutions to problems.

John Howard dealt with difficult times in the knowledge that no matter how tough his career became, he had a stable and loving family to see him through. In spite of the pressures of being Prime Minister, he focused on making each day as effective as possible. I found him goal oriented, and dedicated to making Australia an even better place to live, and he did this by being a good listener, and being flexible with the constantly changing times in which we lived.

Tell us about your life after you migrated to Australia ?

Geoff: As a lecturer in communications, I have addressed:

The Australian Graduate School of Management at the University of New South Wales,

The Communications Course at Macquarie University,

The Institute of Directors,

QANTAS,

and many major companies.

I also acted as Emcee/Chairman/Forum Leader or Speaker at Government and business seminars.

These included;

Mitsubishi Motors major car launches since 1978

Australian Export Awards

Regional Agricultural Field Days

Woolworths Christmas Charity dinners since 1980

Industry conferences

Sales conferences

Tell us of your experience as an executive coach ?

Geoff: I am credited with starting corporate media training in the late 60's. For over twenty years I have devised and run training programs in Australia for executives to help them handle the media more effectively, particularly in controversial interview situations. I also run speech and presentation coaching sessions for executives. Many of these are concerned with projects in which the outcome is worth multi-millions of dollars.

At the request of television stations, I have undertaken training for new TV presenters. I have adapted these sessions to help business executives and staff handle their own in-house television presentations.

2) Geoff Stone: 1931 – 2015 - a Brief Biography

Geoff began his career with the BBC in the United Kingdom before moving to Australia in 1964.

                                                                Geoff Stone With the Inventors team at ABC TV Australia

The Inventors was transplanted to the 9 Network in Australia and renamed “What'll They Think of Next” and ran 1980-81.

Geoff was a successful media consultant and worked with four prime ministers: Sir Winston Churchill (UK), and three Australian Prime Ministers, Sir William McMahon, Malcolm Fraser and John Howard).

With extensive experience both before and behind the camera, Geoff brought a myriad of practical tips and useful advice to clients and students alike, based firmly on real life situations, ideas that have worked for many successful business people, speakers and presenters.

He was also responsible for producing special satellite broadcasts with Prince Philip and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He also undertook negotiations with The White House to arrange broadcasts with Presidents Nixon and Ford.

Geoff was a communications consultant to senior management of many of Australia's major organisations including:

A.G.L., Amatil, Ampol, A.M.P., BMI, B.P., Commonwealth Bank, C.S.R., Dunlop, Davenport Campbell, Esso, Lever & Kitchen, Lotto Management Services, Mitsubishi, Mobil, National Mutual, Petroleum Refineries, Prudential, QANTAS, Rexona, Rothmans, Unilever Australia, Westpac, Westpac Training Pty. Ltd., Westpac New Zealand, Woolworths, The Institute of Directors, Liberal Party, N.S.W. Public Service Board, Department of Employment & Youth Affairs, The Police Commissioner, N.S.W. Police Force, N.S.W. Department of Education, Australian Chamber of Commerce, and Chambers of Commerce in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane.

Geoff lectured in three courses at Mosman Community College:

'Public Speaking'

'Mind Power'

'Communicate with Impact'

Geoff was also a licensed Marriage Celebrant.

3) Audio Interview on Video - Geoff Stone’s Characteristics of Successful People Part 1 Success Principles -

Run Time 53:13 min

Communications specialist, Geoff Stone, is interviewed by Lance Scoular, “the Savvy Navigator” and discusses important characteristics of successful people Geoff has met during his extensive career in business, television and radio.

Looks particularly at the Characteristics of Successful People.

4) Audio Interview on Video - Geoff Stone’s Characteristics of Successful People Part 2 Success Principles 

Run Time 51:38 min

Geoff discusses the way we come up with our own belief systems and what impact our belief systems have on our own path to success.

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