Sally Duxfield is an accomplished leader in the experimental learning world. She brings over 35 years of experience working in the corporate space, helping her clients, businesses and high–performance sports teams with leadership coaching and mental fitness programmes that inspire and nurture change.
She is an Experimental Architect, a term that succinctly describes the art of connecting theory and strategy with human emotions through bespoke residential retreat experiences. She applies neuroscience models and globally–recognised scientific research to design programs that create ‘experiences’ to inspire change.
A coach, author, director and the driving force behind Sallyduxfield.com, Makahika Outdoor Pursuit Centre and Arete Retreat, Sally is a woman of many virtues. Her top three favourite things in life are being outdoors, curiosity for new things, and taking command of a space. There is so much more to know about her inspiring journey.
The CEO Views in conversation with Sally Duxfield, listens to her incredible story of entrepreneurship.
You are widely regarded as an inspirational leader. Please tell us about the story and inspiration behind your entrepreneurial journey.
A great question for reflection. My father was a self–made man; he was smart, innovative, and in his spare time, built everything from boats to houses. He viewed business problems three dimensionally. As if they were machines, with depth, and joints, and connections. I think too, his drive was noticeable, his attention to detail, but certainly his business acumen was solid. And underneath this was an extreme kindness. Blending his attributes with my mother’s, I’m blessed to have the balance of empathy, drive, and that ability to ‘see’ three dimensionally, outside the box solutions and synergies.
On completion of my military service, I was driven to continue to serve others through the sharing of the experience I’d garnered during that service, but also through my continued studies.
The world provided ample retreat opportunities and limitless leadership programs, but no–where could I find the venue that I could be ‘off–grid’, remove people completely from their digital world, and control the introduction of ‘purposeful discomfort’.
And there began my journey to build my own world of ‘unicorn dreams’.
After years of service, venturing into the uncertainties of entrepreneurship might not have been an easy ride. What have been the roadblocks?
Using Gino Wickman’s terms, moving from the integrator role and being able to focus completely on the visionary role has been delightful. Like all entrepreneurs, those first years of hugely long hours, hard graft, financial stress, were where the lessons took hold. Cashflow management, and not outpacing or out thinking those around me were my two major challenges. I can ‘see’ the future-clearly and think in absolutes, and I need to slow down, articulate and show the people around me, the pathway to my vision. My command–and–control experience, strategic thinking and leading others in adverse conditions. (military experience) allowed me to comfortably establish two self–leading companies; it was then timely to follow my passion for the last 9 years, the study of the neuroscience of peak performance; thus the sallyduxfield.com brand became my next focus.
My passion is found in exploring the neuroscience of peak performance, and my joy comes from ‘translating’ this information into implementable, life changing, takeaways, for others.
How do you inspire and help people in increasing wellbeing?
With my bias towards an A Type personality, I value data, facts, humour and story–telling coupled with physical experiences, to lead people towards living a life of joy and sustainable peak performance (wellbeing). We understand through historical research and models that classroom teaching, programmes delivered in an office, with generally dull facilitation, provide little, if any long–term change and ‘stickability‘ of content.
When I built my own Arete Retreat, the initial purpose, was for me to use ‘her’ to allow people to ‘disconnect to connect‘; to be off–grid. To sit in this discomfort and be exposed to, and curious about, the science of wellbeing. To explore and feel how their bodies were feeling as they detoxed from their addictive dopamine (pleasure drug), how clear their minds became with–out an adrenaline and cortisol overload. And critically, learn the skills to control their wellbeing, and for them to actually ‘experience’ wellbeing!
Please tell us a bit about THE EDGE. What role does it play in the journey of transformational growth?
In the thrust of the business world, we need to make high stakes decisions under pressure, apply advanced planning techniques, deliver innovation and extraordinary solutions to global problems, all the while juggling life, partners, children, friends, and relationships.
THE EDGE retreat series is a functional blueprint for sustainable peak performance, enabling participants to make critical decisions and perform at their best in high stress environments. With cutting edge neuroscience and thought leadership, meshed with joy, laughter, and deep reflection, we deliver once in a lifetime experiences.
Sallyduxfield.com is your fourth major venture. What other intellectual breakthrough ideas and initiatives have you pioneered?
Through gathering many years of feedback and interviewing clients and peak performers, I’ve identified a strong correlation between the lack of deep cycle sleep pre–midnight, around brain synchrony, and anxiety. I’ve taken this work and designed the IMPACT4Q Model that allows individuals, elite athletes, entrepreneurs and corporations to ‘run’ the rhythm of their day to cycle in and out of’ stress squeezes’; thus, stabilising and reducing the sense of overwhelm, and controlling the stress response. My latest two books are centred around this model.
To inspire others with my IP, my associate, Shivani Gupta (askshivani.com) and I, continue to deliver international experiential retreats, 3-5 day, once in a life time experiences. These experiences, allow clients to ‘learn, apply, feel, explore and iterate’; ensuring they understand the control they hold over their neurobiological responses.
What do you see as the future of the industry? How do you envision to position yourself to thrive in that future?
Where there are people and money combined, there will be stress. Where there is stress, there will be a market for ‘performance or wellbeing retreat’s. Thus, the future of retreats is secure.
However, ROI to an individual and organisations, from a wellbeing retreat is remarkably low. We aim to increase your ROI. I’d like to challenge organisations, and individuals, to seek out experiences that will extend them, allow them to find comfort in discomfort, stretch their beliefs, and drive the growth of mental and physical wellbeing curating peak performance in teams and individuals.
Discomfort brings engagement and change. Discomfort means you’re doing something that others were unlikely to do, because they’re hiding out in their comfortable zone. When you’re uncomfortable, actions lead to success, your life rewards you and brings you back for more. | Seth Godin
