Book adventurer, Polar Explorer and round-the-world yachtswoman Paula Reid to speak at your conference, workshop or off-site. Paula is also a business leader and can easily weave her adventure experience into working reality. She specialises in leadership and understands teamwork, strategy, performance and how organisations tick. She has trained corporates for ten years and was a shareholder with ‘Involve’ an employee engagement company for 8 years. She has also been a Chair with the Academy for Chief Executives and Vistage CEO groups. She has 3 key talks (also workshops, away days or retreats):
- Adventure Psychology
- Ski Full Distance to the South Pole
- Sailing round-the-world – Boat to Boardroom
Paula is only the third British and 14th International Woman to ski full distance to the South Pole (Messner route). This is a challenging 1000km trek through remote, freezing terrain from the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf on the edge of the frozen Antarctic continent at 82.20 South to the Geographic South Pole at 90. South. The trip meant pulling an 80kg pulk in one of the most inhospitable environments of the world; uphill all the way, climbing 11,000 feet (3350 m) with temperatures below -40C plus severe wind chill and storms.
Paula was active 12 hours a day for 46 days, while also suffering from a severe case of 'Polar Thigh' which got steadily worse from Day Seven. She had to have the physical ability to cover a minimum daily distance and the mental stamina to continue in extreme conditions when she was exhausted and in great pain. She believes the Polar Thigh made this extreme trip twice as hard and thinks she could not have continued for one more day.
As a core crew member of the Global Challenge World’s Toughest Yacht Race, Paula raced 35,000 miles the ‘wrong way’ around the world, competing against 11 other 72’ yachts. The race lasted for ten months, including 187 days at sea; 75 of which were spent in the notoriously freezing and dangerous Southern Ocean.
Paula, with two months notice and no sailing experience, was immediately in at the deep end with a Force 8 gale and a man overboard within ten hours of the race starting! Then, in rounding Cape Horn, Paula and her crew had to perform two separate medical evacuations, spending a harrowing eight weeks battling the 40’ waves and icy storms in the Southern Ocean; four crew down. Three weeks late and 3000 miles behind all the other boats they were greeted with a heroes’ welcome in Wellington.
Paula experienced some huge highs and huge lows during the Global Challenge. Her crew won the most awards and came out of it the toughest and closest team out of the 12. Personally, she had to dig very deep during the challenge and developed an inner strength, a determinedly competitive attitude and massive resilience and mental toughness. All this with NO sailing experience!
Her book BOAT to BOARDROOM uses the Global Challenge as an extreme case study, referencing it to provide memorable and unique lessons, advice and practical exercises in high performance leadership and teamwork. Her second book: The 7 Racing Rules – Lessons for Winning in Business and in Life contains her top seven performance principles.
I have seen quite a few sportsmen/adventurers as business speakers now, but Paula was amongst the best at making her experiences relevant to the business needs of the members present. The group loved it and gave the session an overall score of 9.5 (four 10’s!) – a great result.
Chair, Academy of Chief Executives
Paula is great! She's interesting, full of humor yet serious and knows how to connect & relate her personal story to business insights. Everyone was fascinated by her and told us it was both inspiring & interesting. So… I have only warm recommendation for her.
VP Marketing, Tiny Love
Many thanks - you were absolutely brilliant and inspiring yesterday. What a story you had to tell, and you told it beautifully. I could almost hear the guys in the audience revving up as you talked!
Paul Boissier, CEO, RNLI
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the presentation last night by Paula. The talk was exciting, interesting, and very well presented through an excellent speaker and backed up by wonderful video clips and photographs (and appropriate music!). Please continue with these excellent choices of speakers. I learnt a lot about how these epic events carried out by these individuals and the experiences and knowledge they gain can be passed on to others to improve their leadership skills in the NHS.
Attendee, Leadership Forum, Plymouth Hospitals
I heard you talk at our success day in Leeds last year. I was impressed by your talk.......However your book OMG the best management book I've ever read. Thank you so much, I've learnt loads. You are without doubt a most clever insightful, thinker and writer. I've not finished it yet, as am a very slow reader. But there is sooo much to think about! With gratitude and respect,
Attendee, Forever Living Products
Absolutely fantastic. Very, very inspirational. Take away from it – focus, goal setting, relevant to running my business, determination... absolutely brilliant.
Attendee, Forever Living Products
… the presentation was amazing, you did a really good job with good links – great lessons from your experiences – “a big thumbs up”
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