Troublemaker | The Anti-CEO Playbook | Rev 01
Why Troublemaker?
At the start of 2020, I went on what Life of Mine Podcast host Matt Michael labelled…
A podcast rampage.
During that podcast, I mentioned that I was writing a book called Troublemaker.
For context, this is my interpretation {from years of working in the construction industry} of what a Troublemaker is.
“A Troublemaker is a smart person with strong contrary ideas.
They don't argue just for the sake of arguing, but if they see something that’s not right, they’re going to speak up.” Beanie|The Troublemaker Coach
Why the Anti-CEO?
I have a morning ritual I call #TheMambaMentality that comes from the late great Kobe Bryant.
The Mamba Mentality, it’s a way of life. It’s not an attitude per se, it’s the way you live.
It’s trying to get better every single day.
It’s not something where you live with like a bravado or anything like that.
It’s just the simplest form of trying to get better at whatever it is that you’re doing.” ~ Kobe Bryant
Every morning my first task {after getting coffee of course} is to find the thing I’m going to focus on improving that day.
To do that, I always head to YouTube to find a video to watch.
One morning just recently the video the algorithm found for me was a Ted Talk by Hamdi Ulukaya, explaining how and why he started Chaboni.
Deep into the talk, he makes the following statement;
“We need a new playbook that sees people again.”
My response was;
Hold my beer!
That’s the perfect sub-title for Troublemaker.
The CEO playbook says it’s about shareholders.
And so much is sacrificed for it — its factories, communities, jobs.
But not by CEOs.
CEOs have their employees suffer for them. But yet, the CEOs’ pay goes up and up and up.
And so many people are left behind.
I’m here to tell you: no more.
It’s not right, it’s never been right.
It’s time to admit the playbook that guided businesses and CEOs for the last 40 years is broken.
It tells you everything about business except how to be a noble leader.
We need a new playbook.
We need a new playbook that sees people again.
That sees above and beyond profits.
In the movies, they have a name for people who take a different path to do things right.
They call them “antiheroes.” Hamdi Ulukaya
I decided to write the book Troublemaker long before I watched the video above.
But when I heard this line…
We need a new playbook that sees people again.
I knew I had found the purpose of the book.
Being a Troublemaker {and a Construction Superintendent} myself, the book isn’t going to be written in the usual fashion. In fact, I’m going to completely disrupt the status quo.
In the construction industry, when a drawing for a project is produced it’s rarely correct when it’s {for want of a better term} published.
So what happens is the drawing gets a revision number, and it gets updated/improved as the project progresses.
That’s exactly how the Troublemaker book is going to be written and updated in real-time; with your help.
So here is the intro.
Gladstone January 2009 | My first Troublemaker
I’m sure I worked with Troublemakers long before I met Muff {yes that’s his nickname} but this is where the Troublemaker story begins…
I was supervising a project in Gladstone, Central Queensland. As was typical of the company I was working for at the time, they would load you up with too much work until you break.
They had me running three crews in three separate areas {they were short of supervisors because so many had quit} of the smelter.
I’d just taken over this particular crew and I went up to the unofficial leading hand {Muff}, to try and quickly work out where they were at so I could get my other two crews going.
I started firing 100 questions at him in an attempt to get a handle on what this crew was doing.
After a short barrage of questions, in true Troublemaker style, he turned to me and said…
I’ll tell you what, you {rhymes with duck} off back to your office and get yourself a coffee and if I need you I’ll give you a call.
I thought to myself…
This bloke either knows what he’s doing or he’s going to hang himself pretty quick.
I’ll give him a bit of rope and see what happens.
Little was I to know at the time, but this Troublemaker would become my right-hand man over the coming years.
Troublemaker is designed to be a playbook that has two primary purposes
- If you’re a Troublemaker, the book will help you create the system and structure you need {that you’re continually reprimanded for not having} so you can have your unique leadership skills acknowledged. Then you can get on with the job of changing your industry without restricting your innovative streak.
- If you’re a leader that has Troublemakers working for you, you’ll quickly come to see how Troublemakers are your biggest asset once you know how to coach them properly.
Notice that I said coach, not manage!
If what I’m doing resonates with you, the best way to reach out to me is Asynchronous via VOXER.
That’s because I’m back working remotely in Western Australia on a FIFO construction project, so I can be extremely difficult to get ahold of.
The reason why I’ve gone back to construction in 2021 after getting out of the game in 2020 is all explained here on The Fifo Project.
In Chapter One, we’re going to take a look at why we need Troublemakers and the specific unique abilities they have.
So keep one eye out for that post which will be published within the next week, because you don’t want to miss it.