PAULA REID

Globally Challenged’: High performance lessons for leaders and teams using the Global Challenge Round-the-World Yacht Race.

Speaking Clip - Click here 

As a core crew member of the Global Challenge 2004-5: the ‘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 left Portsmouth in October 2004, and, with no sailing experience, was immediately in at the deep end with a Force 8 gale and a ‘man overboard’ on the first night within ten hours of leaving the calm and safety of home. She then suffered the heat of the tropics as she crossed the equator and doldrums, bound for Buenos Aires. Trying to get enough sleep in her bunk within the 45º C steel hull was a challenge in itself.

Then, in circumnavigating Cape Horn to New Zealand, Paula and her crew had the misfortune of not one but two medical evacuations and spent 54 days battling the 40’ waves and icy storms to Wellington. When they arrived they were greeted with a hero’s welcome, 3 weeks after all the other boats, having had to sail an extra 3000 miles to drop off their sick team-mates.

Paula experienced some huge highs and huge lows during the Global Challenge. Her crew won the most awards and probably came out of it the toughest and closest team out of the 12, having suffered the trauma and mental strain of their daunting 2nd leg around Cape Horn.

Personally, she had to dig ‘very deep’ during the challenge and developed an inner strength, a determinedly competitive attitude, and massive tolerance and perseverance.

Further Adventures

Paula Reid has 18 years experience in training and communications and 22 years experience as an adventurer pushing her personal boundaries.

In another ground breaking expedition in 2001, Paula paddled 600 miles down the Mekong River in a dugout canoe which she bought off a tribal chief in rural Cambodia. She hit rocks and rapids, capsized, cooked all her meals on a fire and got arrested! She has also paddled down the San Juan River in Nicaragua. In 2008 she took up mountaineering.

Paula has been to 43 countries and achieved 76 of her ‘things to do before she dies’.

In Business

Paula has spent the last 18 years in training, corporate events, conferences and internal communications for companies such as Sainsbury’s, Glaxo Smith Kline, Royal Bank of Scotland, Airbus, The Post Office and AXA; and for organisations such as Government departments and Cancer Research UK.

Paula spent 8 years managing a communications agency and now freelances as a speaker, trainer, coach and facilitator.

Her time spent in business helping corporations, charities and Government departments communicate more clearly their strategies, brand, vision and values, customer service, etc, means she can combine her zest and learning from her numerous adventures with valuable and refreshing business messages and insights.

Paula speaks candidly and humorously about the Global Challenge but is able to draw valuable conclusions between both personal and professional challenges that people and businesses face today. This application of a real, extreme experience to organisations is the basis of her book BOAT to BOARDROOM.

She gets under the skin of business objectives and then drives home the messages with value-added intelligence. Book her for straight motivational adventure or business-focused narrative.

In addition:

Workshops

Paula typically works direct with clients in delivering training, facilitation and workshops. She does not believe in off-the-shelf solutions, but offers expertise that she would tailor to your business objectives. She covers Global Challenge high performance in the following areas:

Client Testimonials

Paula’s skill in delivering instant summaries of key issues and on-the-spot briefing to our Ministers and Secretary of State at live events has been critical to gaining public understanding of difficult issues; she is a real asset to our team.

Tiffany St James, Event Producer, Department for Work and Pensions

Paula brings not only buckets of enthusiasm, vitality and energy to her work but also an exceptionally high level of creativity, intelligence and finishing skills…Paula’s core competencies stretch across…complete understanding of client business needs…total deliverability… and a power station of positive energy.

Lorne Armstrong, Director, The Eventworks

We would like to thank you for your excellent contribution to the BEF World Class Development Programme Biannual Cross Discipline Event on the 30th November. Your knowledge and experience within this complex industry will really help to support their development as ‘professional’ riders. I know that the riders appreciated your involvement and input on the day and will have learnt a lot from it... Thank you so much. You were fabulous.