45 years ago, marks the release of The Beatles iconic Sgt Peppers album and album cover. It features people who influenced the Beatles. This activity by business coach Andrew Priestley gets you thinking about who influenced you for the better.

1. “Thought provoking and inspiring.”
‘My mentors.’
Getting by with a little
help from my friends.
Sgt Peppers
Sgt Peppers Lonely
Hearts Club Band,
Andrew
Priestley

2. ‘My Mentors’ Activity
This is a wonderful pause-for-though
profound tutorial that will help you tap into
who inspired and inspires you most. Enjoy!
_________________
About 45 years ago the Beatles released
Sgt Peppers which featured a list of ‘firsts’
including album artwork. They enlisted the
help of friend Peter Blake who created the
now iconic cover art.
In the original 1967 work, the Beatles form
the centerpiece wearing colourful militarystyle outfits standing next to wax models
from Madame Tussauds.
The Beatles were allowed to pick some of
their favourites for the 1967 version,
including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, Marlon
Brando and Marlene Dietrich.
© 2014 The Coaching Experience Ltd
Lennon went for Hitler, Gandhi and Jesus,
who were all dropped for being too
controversial.
However, in the 2012 piece, the faces of
Ringo Starr and the late John Lennon and
George Harrison have all been omitted.
And even Sir Paul McCartney has been
relegated to the third row – one behind his
daughters Stella, the fashion designer, and
Mary, the photographer.
Sir Peter Blake, known as the Godfather of
Pop Art, has put his own face and images of
his family where the Fab Four once stood.
Sir Peter said: ‘I’ve chosen people I admire,
great people and some who are dear friends.
I had a very long list of people who I wanted
to go in but couldn’t fit everyone in. I think
that shows how strong British culture is and
its legacy over the last six decades.’
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3. This got me thinking about my own life.
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There was the kid who told me you
get 5c refund on every Coke bottle
you took back to the corner store.
That kid ignited my passion for free
enterprise, sales and business.
There was my brother Pip who
taught me how to sell the golf balls
we found in the rough at the local
golf course.
There was my mum who gave me
pocket money for and taught me to
do a good job.
There’s Arthur Davies who employed
me to mow his lawns and climb
ladders and do handyman jobs and
fix stuff knowing full well a ten year
old couldn’t do any of those well!
There’s Father O’Brien who made me
president of the St Bernard’s
Catholic Youth Group when I wasn’t
a Catholic. “God needs good leaders
no matter what their faith.”
There’s Des Picklum who gave me
my first paid job as a storeman in his
toy shop.
And the forgotten teacher who
nominated me for a scholarship
which paid for me to complete high
school.
There is Pat and Doug Mann who
gave me a renewed sense of home
and taught me the value of family
and a love for Christmas.
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There is Dr Robert Schuller for his
amazing interview with Napoleon
Hill and Norman Vincent Peale on
Hour of Power.
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There was Phil Hergstrom who died
tragically but switched me onto Jim
Rohn.
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There is the incredible Chris Newton
and Paul Dunn who I believe single
handedly changed the face of
entrepreneurs in Australia by
bringing top speakers like Jay
Abraham downunder.
There is Jim Alexander, Graham
Alexander, Jim Moffatt – all amazing
ad men.
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There are my martial arts instructors
Gary Viccars, Mark King, Dieter
Speilkamp, Anthony Brown and
Sensi Budd.
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There’s Darren Sprott, and Jock
Nielsen and Vac Ubl who all shaped
how I do business and life.
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There’s Benny Tan and Charles
Hammond who guide me spiritually.
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And there is my wife Diane who
continues to be the best thing in my
life apart from our children Dan and
Justine.
Get the idea?
So how did I compile this list? There are two
options: a short and a longer version.
_________________
There’s the amazing Jeff Dans who
taught me so many great lessons
about business, responsibility,
excellence, pride, staying grounded,
valuing your good name and
reputation, the value of team and
having fun.
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There is the Helen Hatton, Pat Castle,
Marg Hergstrom, Mike Anderson,
John Hopkins and the amazing
Marva Collins who inspired me to be
the best teacher I could be.
© 2014 The Coaching Experience Ltd
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4. The ‘My Mentors’ Activity: The Short Version
Basically the goal here is to get a list of about
5-7 key people who have influenced or
changed your life.
This is probably not like Mitch Albom’s
The Five People You Meet in Heaven which was
about five people you know but didn’t realize
that they changed your life for the better …
but people you know and who you consider
did change you for the better. You actually
have a sense of gratitude when you think
about them.
has shown up in who you are today and how
it shows up in how you operate as a person
or a business. And leave me with a tip.
So as Jeff would say, “If it was your business,
what would you do?”
_________________
The ‘My Mentors’ Activity: The Longer Version
This activity is longer because it is more
reflective and ore comprehensive and may
take more than one session.
OK?
1. Schedule 20 minutes
i) Finish the sentence, “Someone who
influenced me was …’
It’s important to schedule 20 uninterrupted
minutes with yourself each time you do this.
You’ll need your smart phone and voice
recorder. Turn on the voice recorder and just
start talking. Simply finish the statement,
“Someone who influenced me was …”
2. Grab a coffee
Just keep repeating the statement and
include different endings.
3. Get a note pad and pen.
“Someone else who influenced me was ....”
Or tea. But something comforting and nonalcholic.
i) OK the starting point is to write list of every
year that you have been alive. In my case my
lists starts from 1958.
Get the idea?
ii) Say why or how they influenced you.
ii) Next to that write the corresponding ages:
For example, Jeff Dans influenced me greatly
because he gave me a job in his five-star
restaurant when he knew I had no experience
at all in hospitality. I do not know why he
gave me a job but he did.
Next he taught me how to be a great waiter
… then a maître’d. Then how to run a
restaurant … then a business … then how to
run a high standard business … and why you
should value high standards. Amongst other
things – but great lessons that have stayed
with me for over 35 years.
iii) It’s sort of inbuilt into step ii) but give an
example. Tell a story.
Say what happened and why it was
meaningful to you. And life changing.
iv) Pass it on.
Look for the nugget or the gem of wisdom or
insight or the tip … for others. Say how this
© 2014 The Coaching Experience Ltd
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1958
1959 1 year old
1960 2 years old
If it helps write where you were living and
what schools you went to and what grades
you were in.
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1968 – Grade 5 Swanston Street PS
1969 - Grade 6 Manifold Heights PS
iii) It also helps to plug in any memories you
have around that time. Start with any key
words or phrases – you’ll be shocked at how
quickly you start to remember stuff.
1966 – 8 years old, Swanston Street,
Swanston Street PS Grade 3, First
Shannons Own Scouts as a cub scout,
Learn To Swim Campaign Eastern Beach
etc.
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5. iv) Write down any key things you remember
like rock bands (i.e., The Beatles), TV shows
(i.e., Shintaro the Samurai, Get Smart),
legends (i.e., Roger Bannister, John Landy)
and so on.
Her triumph over adversity was so
compelling. Her book was life changing.
List anything that jogs your mind.
4. Say why or how they influenced you.
For example, when I was eight James Bond
was huge and Matel and Hasbro released
trading cards and spy toys … which
reminded me of where my mum worked …
and school friends and … the Christmas
pageant … falling off the garage roof …
For example, Jeff Dans influenced me greatly
because he gave me a job in his five-star
restaurant when he knew I had no experience
at all in hospitality. I do not know why he
gave me a job but he did.
v) Now start plugging in any names that
come to mind. This can include immediate
family, extended family, school teachers,
friends, popular figures, authors,
personalities, famous people.
For example, I always admired and felt
inspired by the first man to walk on the moon
Neil Armstrong even though I never met him.
I admired Walt Disney and Bruce Lee.
vi) OK importantly, you are looking for people
who didn’t just influence you but who came
along side you and changed your life in a
good way.
Usually these people were not well known or
huge success stories but something about
them impacted your life.
vii) It may help to consider any stress points
in your life where good people showed up.
I had several cross-road moments in my life
where I could have gone off the rails in a bad
direction.
Doug Mann was the father of a friend who
challenged me about drinking as a teenager.
Jeff Dans challenged me to be responsible
with his business.
Helen Hatton challenged me to fully
understand and appreciated the huge
responsibility that goes with being a teacher.
Marva Collins who I never met inspired me to
learn and master the basics of reading and
writing … and to be a great teacher for me
kids. I got all that from a short 12-minute
interview when I was seriously questioning if
I was any good as a school teacher.
© 2014 The Coaching Experience Ltd
(You can watch this interview at
http://vimeo.com/41399754 )
Next he taught me how to be a great waiter
… then a maître’d. Then how to run a
restaurant … then a business … then how to
run a high standard business … and why you
should value high standards. Amongst other
things – but great lessons that have stayed
with me for over 35 years.
5. Tell a story. Give a clear example.
Say what happened and why it was
meaningful to you. And life changing.
6. Pass it on.
Look for the nugget or the gem of wisdom or
insight or the tip … for others.
Say how this has shown up in who you are
today and how it shows up in how you
operate as a person or a business. And how
that might help others, too.
I remember when I worked for Jeff that I
double booking a wedding reception in the
restaurant. I then realized my mistake and
told Jeff. He said, “I know what we should do,
but what do you think?”
I said we should cancel the booking. Jeff got
me to see that cancelling a wedding
reception at short notice might help us out
but be devastating for the happy couple.
I said I didn’t know what to do and Jeff said,
“Well you’d better start thinking and let me
know once you’ve worked it out.”
My solution was to find a reception centre of
equal or near value close by and switch the
booking to that venue, which they did.
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6. But this meant Jeff had to refund the deposit
– money Jeff had already spent on
preparations for that function.
Jeff then asked me how I intended to repay
his out-of -pockets. He asked me, “Tell me
again why I need to pay for this mistake?’
I worked out how to repay Jeff that money
… but I learned so much from this example
and others like it about cross checking and
confirming and being responsible. And how
to treat staff.
6. Stop around 20-minutes.
You know this is a great activity and you will
get on a roll but don’t do more than 20minutes. Here’s why.
7. Listen back to the recording with a pen and
paper (at a subsequent session).
Listen back and make notes. Stop the
recording if you get inspired. (You will get
inspired!)
Most of my clients actually gain new insights
from the playback. Sometimes they are really
important distinctions. Other times you will
realize that you gained a lot more plus you
will have the added advantage of more time
having elapsed. This is a great time to reflect.
And take action. Many clients arrive at action
points as well. So list any ‘to-dos’ that come
from this session.
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OK. Next steps?
Repeat and Rinse – (as my nana would say).
Do the activity again. Regularly.
Archive – You will end up with an MP3 file.
I recommend you archive these MP3
recordings. They make fascinating listening a
year from today or five years from today.
Transcribe – (optional) if you are creating
collateral I recommend you jump on Elance
and get the MP3 transcribed because …
Collateral/IP – Turn it into collateral. There is a
whole content management argument that
goes hand in hand with social media and the
need to be relational and create digital
© 2014 The Coaching Experience Ltd
downloadable relational content.
Simon Sinek’s argument is that people by
why you sell more than what you sell. You
can edit and top and tail your authentic
‘I believe’ transcript and make it available as a
digital downloadable PDF relational piece on
your website, for example. Most people have
an About page. This is a great About page
piece!
Repurpose – This is a big discussion for
perhaps another tutorial but once you’ve got
it you can repurpose this content into
reports, tutorials, downloadable PDFs,
embedded email links, YouTube videos,
SlideShare uploads, Tweets, Facebook Posts,
MP3 interviews and so on.
(For your benefit, most online content can be
repurposed into things people can watch,
read, listen to and do.)
Repackage – Again a big discussion for
another tutorial but the big idea here is to
use packaging and pricing structures to
bundle or unbundle your IP.
There is always a but …
…but for now, do this just for you. The big
danger in doing this for a wider audience in
mind is that you miss the value in pausing for
thought – for you. You cease to be authentic
and start saying stuff you think others want
you to say.
You start to spin things. If you sense that you
are spinning, then stop, get another coffee
and start again or do it later. This is a hand on
heart exercise.
There is one more step. And its optional. If
that person is still alive, say thank you. Rarely,
do the right people get thanked. Better late
than never.
Andrew Priestley
PS Testimonials and Feedback
I would love to add some testimonials or
feedback to the next revision so please email
me at andrew@andrewpriestley.com
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7. Contact Andrew Priestley
About Andrew Priestley
Email: andrew@andrewpriestley.com
Andrew Priestley is an award-winning
internationally recognised business coach,
mentor, speaker and author.
Web: www.andrewpriestley.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TCE.HQ
Twitter: @arpriestley
Phone: +44 (0) 7879 330060
Through 1-2-1 coaching, workshops and
training he works with owner/managers usually managing directors - running
established mid-sized companies across the
UK, Australia and the USA.
Typical results are certainly increased
revenues and profits and higher performing
teams. And coaching definitely helps you
resolve challenges or problems associated
with managing or leading a business.
Even more typical is that clients become
much better people.
Andrew is available for 121 coaching sessions
worldwide on via the contact number above.
Read more: about Peter Blake:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article2123734/Sir-Peter-Blake-recreates-The-BeatlesSgt-Pepper-album-cover-2012-style-celebrate80th-birthday.html#ixzz2tUJlR9rC
!
© 2014 The Coaching Experience Ltd
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