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WIRRAL LIFE TALK TO DANIEL BOURNE,
FOUNDER OF CATALYST D-O
Catalyst D-O is a company whose vision is to change the way we
think about going to work and about creating a culture of high
performance on the job. They help cultivate internal resources so
that you and your team can respond more positively to challenges
and lead happier and more fulfilled lives.
So Daniel, tell us about yourself.
I live in Higher Bebington with my beautiful wife Fliss and our beloved
French bulldog Bailey. I just turned 32 and was raised in Bromborough
until I hit 18. At 18 years and 2 days, I departed on a train to begin the
great adventure that is a career in the armed forces. I spent thirteen and
a half years in the army, eventually leaving in 2018.
Oh wow. 13 years is a big chunk of your life. What did you do in the
Army?
That's a challenging question. Being a soldier means you're somewhat
of a chameleon because the spectrum of what is expected of you is
extremely wide. My ‘highlight reel’, as you could call it, would consist
of being a Commando Royal Engineer and a Plant Operator by trade.
When I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2008, my role was as a High
Risk improvised explosive device searcher, which means I was armed
with a metal detector and other equipment to seek out bombs and
booby traps. I was also a team commander at the 2012 Olympics in
a search area, rebuilt roads and schools in Kenya, and helped deliver
adventurous training in Cyprus, in addition to being a physical training
instructor for eight years. If I had to name my bread and butter of my
time in the military, though, it would be training and development, as
helping to clear pathways for soldiers to be their best is something I’ve
always had a passion for. My final role was heavily focused on coaching
and mentoring at a training school. I'll leave out the details or we'll be
here all day.
So what is it you do now?
My business, Catalyst D-O, leverages my skills acquired in the military.
I work to develop mentally healthy work environments and resilient,
high-performing teams through high-performance coaching, stress
management & resilience workshops, and through accredited delivery
as Mental Health First Aider trainer.
What drew you to this?
If you take an average person who works 40 hours per week and place
those 40 hours back-to-back over the course of their life, they spend
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around eleven and a half years at work. That's one hell of a long time
to spend doing something, let alone something you're not feeling great
while doing it.
Knowing that I spent six months in Afghanistan looking for IEDs, you
could assume that it was the most difficult time of my life. That's actually
not the case. My most difficult time was when I had a clash with a line
manager in the military whilst having an underlying mental health
challenge. I was in a safe country with seemingly amazing conditions,
but what I was experiencing was much, much worse than anything else
I experienced. The manager in question is not a bad person or poor at
their job. They were merely ill-equipped and lacked the tools to support
me at the time. My performance dropped as a result, and what should
have been the crown of my career was instead a missed opportunity. I
aim to minimise these type experiences from happening to others.
What would you say is your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement is actually not my own achievement as such.
In my final role in the Army, I was lucky enough to lead a programme
for trainees preparing to undergo Commando or Parachutist training.
It was greatly successful over a period of two and a half years, so being
part of so many of the trainees' journeys towards their coveted green
beret was a great honour and achievement for me, though of course the
hard work was done by them. I just helped set the conditions for them
to thrive.
What drew you back to the Wirral after having lived all over the
world?
I suppose you could call it ‘the 20-minute rule’. From my house, I can
be in a beautiful rural area, a choice of two cities, the seaside, or my
beloved Everton’s ground in 20 minutes or less. I don't know of many
other locations that can offer this richness of choice.
What would you say is your favourite spot then?
It would have to be Parkgate, a nice walk for us all followed by the
amazing fish & chips and ice cream. Perfect!
To contact Daniel at Catalyst D-O call 07769 187 359 or
visit catalystdo.co.uk.