Reflections from Granada, Spain

Earlier today, I sent a short text to a friend. Nothing elaborate – just a quick thanks to Paul and Robyn for a terrific recommendation. He’d suggested we try Viator to book local tours. My partner Suzanne took their tip, and what followed were three incredible cultural experiences here in Granada.

That small act of recognition – just a text – got me thinking. It wasn’t only about saying thank you. It was something more.

It was a Pump Primer.

A message into the relationship. A way to keep things flowing.

⏰ The Reinventing Engine of Success

This links back to a model I’ve used for years – something I call the Reinventing Engine of Success. I first heard about the Reinventing Engine of Success from Chuck Bennett while I was working in London as a Senior OD Consultant for Shell. Chuck was the Shell Global Lead for OD and was my functional manager. As Chuck explained it to me, picture a clock face:

• • At 12 o’clock: The Quality of Relationships
  • At 3 o’clock: The Quality of Thinking
  • At 6 o’clock: The Quality of Decisions and Problem Solving
  • At 9 o’clock: The Quality of Results

Each leads to the next. Strong relationships feed stronger thinking. Stronger thinking drives better decision making. Better decisions deliver stronger results. And those results, in turn, feed back into the strength of the relationship.

That’s the loop.

But to get it turning, something needs to crank it into motion.

🔩 The Crank Handle: TIS

Right at 12 o’clock – where the quality of relationships sits – we insert the crank handle. I often liken it to firing up an old Massey Ferguson tractor. You can’t just turn the key. You’ve got to prime it. You’ve got to crank it.

The crank handle is made of something I call TIS:

• • T = Time – You have to show up. Make the time.
  • I = Intent – Both people need to want the relationship. If only one party wants it, that’s not connection. That’s stalking.
  • S = Skills – You need to know how to engage, how to listen, how to speak up.

The three skills I often teach in this space come from the work of Peter Senge and his colleagues in The Fifth Discipline:

1. 1. The Ladder of Inference – Helping us slow down and see how we leap to conclusions.
   2. Advocacy and Inquiry – Speaking with clarity and asking with curiosity.
   3. The Left-Hand Column – Surfacing the things we think but don’t say.

These aren’t just soft skills. They’re power tools for deep, effective relationships.

📩 A Moment That Mattered

Which brings me back to that text. Just a simple message:

“Hey mate – thanks again for the Viator tip. We’ve had three fantastic experiences here in Granada. Really appreciate the steer.”

Nothing more than that. But it primed the pump.

It recognised Paul. It gave energy back into the relationship. It kept the engine turning.

And the beauty of tools like AI? They make those moments even easier. Dictate a quick note, polish it if needed, send. But the human layer – time, intent, skills – is still what makes it meaningful.

🔄 The Engine in Motion

So that’s the Reinventing Engine of Success in action. From a small act of gratitude at 12 o’clock, the system flows:

• • Stronger relationships
  • Clearer thinking
  • Better decisions
  • Stronger results
  • And back again to richer relationships

But engines stall if we don’t use them.

That’s why we need to keep priming.

🪞 Reflection Prompt

When was the last time you sent a quick message just to say:

• • “Thanks for the tip”
  • “Thinking of you”
  • “That story you shared still makes me smile”

It doesn’t have to be long. Just honest. Just now.

🚜 In the end: Keep Cranking

In leadership, life, and love – relationships are the starter motor.

And like a good old tractor, they need cranking every now and then.

A little time. A little intent. A little skill.

That’s the pump primer.