Who Moved My Blackberry? (11 page)

Ta muchly, Martin

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Jenny Withers

Jens—I DID tell you I'm leaving on Thursday—you weren't listening. Yes, I do realize Jake will be home for Easter. What do you expect me to do about it—tell Keith I can't come because I need to make my delinquent 15-year-old son study for his GCSEs?

And yes, Suzanna is coming with me. The only reason I didn't mention it to you was because you've shown no interest whatsoever in this trip. Suze has done a better than excellent job on the focus group, and I really don't see what yr problem is … You're always moaning about the glass ceiling and how women don't get a chance in this company.

Love you

M

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Phyllis Lukes

Dearest Mum

Sorry I haven't been in touch for a bit, but I've had a blow on the health front recently. Long story short, it seems very likely I have bowel cancer.

Don't know what the prognosis is, my strategy for dealing with it is to be very honest about it, and to keep on absolutely as normal. Did I tell you that Pandora is very knowledgeable on matters cancerous, having had a brush with it herself? She say's its all about balancing the positive and negative energies, which makes a lot of sense when you think about it.

Am off to Atlanta on important business tomorrow so fraid I won't be able to come down at the weekend to help prune the shrubs. Will see you when I'm back.

Try not to worry too much.

Your loving son

Martin

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Keri Tartt

Keri—travel department has booked us into the HOLIDAY INN!! I am a director of this company and traveling on the most important business. Tell them to upgrade my hotel to the W. This is absolutely bloody typical.

M

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Jenny Withers

Darling—Plane delayed three hours at Heathrow … I'm totally shattered. Or, as Pandora would have me say, I'm recharging.

There's been a massive cock-up over hotels—everyone else is staying at the Holiday Inn, and no one told me. Suzanna and I are in the W, miles away from the action. Trust all OK at home. I had an e-mail from Max asking me for help with his algebra paper for Common Entrance—told him I'm a bit up against it. Can't you do it?

M xx

From:
Keith Buxton

To:
UPBOB

Hello everyone! Let me say how delighted I am to see so many of you from so many different geographies gathered here for the Project Uplift Brainstorm on Behaviors (UPBOB).

Tomorrow we kick off with a pre-breakfast Show and Tell, and I will be asking each of you to share with us something personal about what the key behaviors mean to you. You will notice that the walls of the meeting room are draped in brown paper. During all sessions, I'd like you to write any thoughts you may have on the walls. Whatever comes into your minds, write it down! It's going to be a lot of fun!

Keith

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Jenny Withers

Darling—just got yr message. Jake's totally out of order. However, it's a pity that you went apeshit at him—I think it's much more motivational to use more empowering language.

Will send him an e-mail tonight if I have a mo. Just ran into BSM—he said he was really looking forward to my presentation! K's gone native, acting like touchy-feely American. Ugh.

Love you, M XX

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Jake Lukes

Jake—I am a little bit concerned to hear from your mother that you stole some money from Svetlana, which has resulted in her threatening to leave.

I must be honest with you: my initial response was “Oh poo,” but I have now reflected on the situation, and feel you need to think about changing your behaviors.

Jake, can you do an exercise for me? Can you to think up six key behaviors that will help you going forward, and e-mail them to me? Then I can help you learn to live them. Let's make a new start!

Love, Dad

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
UPBOB

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry I'm not at the pre-breakfast Show and Tell. I'm stuck in traffic. I didn't realize it would take so long to get across town! Should be with you in half an hour.

Cheers, Martin Lukes

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

From:
Keith Buxton

To:
UPBOB

Hallo everyone! Thanks to one and all for a stimulating day's discussion. I have never seen so much passionate graffiti in one place! Thanks also to Martin Lukes for joining us eventually and sharing the interesting story of how he is using a behaviors matrix as a tool to motivate his son. I really believe that Project Uplift behaviors matrices have great potential both in the work and the home arenas! Please be prompt for this evening's networking drinks. 6:30pm in the Printemps Suite.

Keith

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Jenny Withers

Darling—really energizing day. We had a very intellectual discussion about the link between behaviors and values. Will tell all when I get back. Am forwarding Jake's response to my motivational message. Any idea what he's on about?

Love you, M x

From:
Jake Lukes

To:
Martin Lukes

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Keri Tartt

Hi Keri

Just arrived at Heathrow—am off home to recharge and renew. I've got a couple of key memos I need to write … Tell Rog that whatever it is, I can't see him today. M

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
All Staff

Hello everyone

I wanted to debrief you on an incredibly exciting few days in Atlanta. There is huge momentum behind UPBOB, and our committee's input went down extremely well. Suzanna gave a better-than-excellent presentation that left all the others standing! We are expecting that the UK contribution will be well represented in the ultimate outturn!

Best, Martin

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Keri Tartt

Hi Keri

Can you put through my Atlanta exes asap? If Rog gives any trouble you might point out Suzanna and I worked 14-hour days while we were in Atlanta. We were putting the UK in the driving seat on our most important global initiative since Project Rebrand.

Martin

From:
Barry Malone

To:
All Staff

Howdy!

First up, I wanted to say thank you to all those who came to Atlanta last week for UPBOB. There is an amazing amount of passion and love being shown on this project. Over the next few days Keith Buxton and myself will be finalizing the matrix based upon last week's inputs, and then we will be able to commence the global rollout of Project Uplift!

I love you all,

Barry

From:
Pandora@CoachworX!

To:
Martin Lukes

Hi Martin

When we started the program I said I was going to be your greatest fan. And let me tell you that the way you have got back into the Bronze Program has been exceptional. The Old You is dead. New You is alive and growing!!

Can I ask you to jot down some of the advances you've made this month, and then give yourself a big round of applause?

Strive and thrive!

Pandora

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Pandora@CoachworX!

Hi Pandora

If you'll excuse a literary reference, April is the cruelest month.

As the poet Robert Frost predicted, this has been a hyper challenging month for myself, though I have notched some wins that I am very proud of. I am interacting less with people who impact negatively on my energy levels.

I am also making progress with the words I use. I am avoiding disempowering words and words full of pain. This has been highly successful except possibly with my son, who seems to have decided that I'm a shirtlifter. Which is quite ironic, when you think about it(!).

This month I have made a good start in coming to terms with bowel cancer. To have scored a major career win under these circumstances is no mean feat.

I am distressed that not much progress has been made on the home front. Jens is burying herself in her career, in order to avoid confronting various issues. I see this as a growing problem.

Basically, going forward I need to look after number one and take things one day at a time!

22.5 percent better than my bestest

Martin

From:
Pandora@CoachworX!

To:
Martin Lukes

Hi Martin

Welcome to Month Five!

This month we are going to focus in on your heart. But before we do that I want you to stand in front of a mirror very close, with your nose almost touching the glass, and then slowly walk backwards. I want you to describe the man in front of you using a fun test of mine called KWYA. It's pronounced choir, because it is like your inner choir singing in harmony about the New You.

K stands for your kindness to yourself. W is your wisdom. Y is Your values and being true to them. A is your aims and ambitions.

So look in the mirror, Martin, and tell me about the KWYA you see reflected there. We need to check that your inner choir is singing from the same hymn sheet.

Strive and thrive!

Pandora

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Jenny Withers

Jens—Just looked at the hospital letter and seems I'll be practically on nil by mouth for 36 hours before the colonoscopy, and have to take three batches of laxatives. I'll stay home tomorrow and the next day, and probably best if I don't go to Max's debating contest tonight … Mx

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Pandora@CoachworX!

Hi Pandora

I am trying to do your tests, though finding it hard thanks to some of the strongest laxatives on God's earth which I've taken ahead of my colonoscopy tomorrow. Still, to the best of my current ability, here we go on my KWYA thingy.

KINDNESS to myself—Yes, I think I'm doing well on this. I'm learning to like myself much more. I'm broadly speaking pleased with what I see in the mirror—could be a bit thinner (though today alone I must have lost half a stone). I see a decent, funny person, good to have around.

WISDOM—Yes, I think the guy in the mirror has it. It's not just wisdom about stuff I know, it's wisdom about what makes me tick, and what makes others tick, too.

YOUR VALUES—Not sure that I can actually see my values in the mirror. As you know, I want to use my creativity, my networking, my sense of fun to make the world a better place. But not quite sure I can pick that up from my reflection.

AMBITION—I can certainly see that—this guy is already successful and is on the way up. It's a look of determination in the chin. He wants to be a leader.

That's about it. Though if I am being 140 percent honest there is something else I see—I can sense that this guy in the mirror is ill. But we'll find out more about that tomorrow.

22.5 percent better than my very bestest

Martin

From:
Martin Lukes

To:
Phyllis Lukes

Dear Mum

Thanks for your e-mail. Yes, I survived the US trip well. Basically, I'm like you mum—tough as old boots, so no need to worry. My strategy is not to think about it, and to carry on as per normal. Colonoscopy tomorrow, so will keep you posted.

On a happier note, we should be hearing if Max has got into Eton in a few days. The lad seemed really confident after the exams and his last school report (did I show it to you?) says he's a total all rounder—he's a very useful spin bowler in cricket, on the first eleven rugby team, top set for maths, english, latin. He's a chip off the old block, though possibly a tad more motivated than I was at that age.

Yesterday he reached the finals of the school debating competition (he's got his mother's argumentative streak!!) all foreigners are Wogs. Unfortunately I was too poorly to go, but Jens went and said he was brilliant, even though as a bit of a leftie she was on the other side of the argument. You would have been v proud though.

Keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow. Will be in touch afterwards.

Much love
Martie

PS I can't believe that your knee op has been put back again. It's beyond a joke. I've really had it with the National Health Service. I think you should go private, and I'll pay.

From:
Roger Wright

To:
All Staff

Re: a-b glöbâl 1st Q earnings

Today you will have seen the announcement out of Atlanta of our Q1 earnings. These show a continued squeeze on margins. It is imperative in this tough climate that we continue to contain costs. To that end I am today announcing the following measures, effective at once.