Bruce Djite is currently the director of Football at Adelaide United, a club where he as a player, won all domestic trophies with Adelaide United, including the Premiership and Championship double in 2016 and tops the list as Adelaide United’s record goal-scorer. Bruce has also represented Australia as a Socceroo and has played football all around the world for clubs in several countries including, Turkey, China, South Korea and Indonesia.
Bruce spent over 4 years on the Executive and Governance committee of Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA), which is the Australian Players’ Union that represents all Australian professional footballers, including the Socceroos and Matildas. He is currently a board member of Women Onside, whose goal is to increase opportunities for women’s football and women in football. Bruce is also an Ambassador All Together Now, Australia's only national charity with the sole focus of erasing racism, and the Little Heroes Foundation, a South Australian charity that supports seriously ill children and their families ad various others.
As a businessman, Bruce stems from an accounting background working for a firm named PKF Adelaide and Fox Sports Australia before returning to his beloved Reds in 2019 as Adelaide United's Director of Football.
In today's episode, Bruce spoke about his journey, and how he ended up leading a professional sports club through a pandemic. He also delves into leadership, feedback, self-awareness and the importance of having the right people in the team. Bruce shared his views on the black lives matter movement, and how he manages his work, family and life through his hectic schedule and his interesting for finance.
Where to find Bruce Djite:
Bruces's LinkedIn
Bruce's Twitter
Bruce's Instagram
Books mentioned in this episode:
Episode notes:
Join the conversation on Synergy IQ LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram (@synergyiq) and please support other leaders by liking, subscribing and sharing this podcast.
Access SynergyIQ Website to get to know more about us.
Say hello to our host Daniel on LinkedIn.
Bruce Djite is currently the director of Football at Adelaide United, a club where he as a player, won all domestic trophies with Adelaide United, including the Premiership and Championship double in 2016 and tops the list as Adelaide United’s record goal-scorer. Bruce has also represented Australia as a Socceroo and has played football all around the world for clubs in several countries including, Turkey, China, South Korea and Indonesia.
Bruce spent over 4 years on the Executive and Governance committee of Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA), which is the Australian Players’ Union that represents all Australian professional footballers, including the Socceroos and Matildas. He is currently a board member of Women Onside, whose goal is to increase opportunities for women’s football and women in football. Bruce is also an Ambassador All Together Now, Australia's only national charity with the sole focus of erasing racism, and the Little Heroes Foundation, a South Australian charity that supports seriously ill children and their families ad various others.
As a businessman, Bruce stems from an accounting background working for a firm named PKF Adelaide and Fox Sports Australia before returning to his beloved Reds in 2019 as Adelaide United's Director of Football.
In today's episode, Bruce spoke about his journey, and how he ended up leading a professional sports club through a pandemic. He also delves into leadership, feedback, self-awareness and the importance of having the right people in the team. Bruce shared his views on the black lives matter movement, and how he manages his work, family and life through his hectic schedule and his interesting for finance.
Where to find Bruce Djite:
Bruces's LinkedIn
Bruce's Twitter
Bruce's Instagram
Books mentioned in this episode:
Episode notes:
Join the conversation on Synergy IQ LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram (@synergyiq) and please support other leaders by liking, subscribing and sharing this podcast.
Access SynergyIQ Website to get to know more about us.
Say hello to our host Daniel on LinkedIn.
Welcome to creating synergy where we explore what it takes to transform. We are powered by Synergy IQ. Our mission is to help leaders create world class businesses where people are safe, valued, inspired and fulfilled. We can only do this with our amazing community. So thank you for listening.
Daniel Franco:Hi there Synergizers, welcome back to another episode of The creating synergy podcast. My name is Daniel Franco, your host and on today's episode, we welcome a man who I think it's safe to say that I have a little bit of a man crush on his name's Bruce Djite, Bruce is currently director of football and Adelaide United, a club where as a player he won all domestic trophies including the Premiership and championship double in 2016. And he currently tops the list as Adelaide United's record all time goal scorer. Bruce has also represented Australia as a soccer [inaudible audio] and has played football around the world for clubs in several countries including Turkey, China, South Korea, and Indonesia. Brisbane over four years on the executive and Governance Committee of the professional footballers, Australia PFA, which is the Australian players union that represents all the Australian professional footballers including the soccer Ruse and Matildas. He is currently a board member of the women on site whose goal is to increase women's opportunities in football and women in football. Bruce is also an ambassador for all together now Australia's only national charity with the sole focus of erasing racism, and the Little Heroes Foundation, a South Australian charity that supports seriously ill children and their families as as well as many other various charities. As a businessman, Bruce stems from an accounting background working in firms named PKF Adelaide and Fox Sports Australia before returning to his beloved reds in 2019. As Adelaide United as director of football. This was a fantastic podcast where we actually didn't speak too much about football, but more on his journey and how he ended up leading a professional sports club through a pandemic. We also talked about his views and the Black Lives Matter and how he manages his work his family and life during his hectic schedule. Absolutely love his nothing is to odd attitude. And I know that you will enjoy this episode as much as I did. Enjoy. Welcome back to The creating synergy podcast. My name is Daniel Franco, your host and today we have the great man, Bruce today. Welcome Bruce, thank you, thank you for being here. You are a pretty well known human being in the industry of sport and also business now, which is you've got an illustrious career with Adelaide United and also traveling all around the world to play play the beautiful game of football. Can you give me a little bit of all the people who may not know you who are listening to the podcast? Can you give us a little bit of background about your career and where you've come from and and to where you are today?
Bruce Djite:Yeah, just a quick rundown. I'll try make a brief born in the States move to Sydney when I was two and a half three years old. whole family moved. So all my schooling everything in in in Sydney. moved to the AIS, Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. When I was about 1718 years old. From when I was eight. I said you know, I want to be a professional footballer. That's all I wanted to do. From the AIS I came to Adelaide United was my first professional club, I came to Adelaide United was here for about a year, year and a half, transferred to Turkey, played there for a few years. Played on the Gold Coast for a year. Clive Palmer had a team there. That was interesting and very enjoyable. Then I went to China went to China, the A league had moved its season for stock. So it still finished in February March. But the stock moved from August to October. So in that period between March and October, lived and played in China. Came back to Adelaide you know what after that stayed about five, six years. Won a few, won a trophies Yeah, the championship Premiership double. That was probably the all time high in terms of career highlights for me at a club level.
Daniel Franco:Not to mention you were leading, go score,
Bruce Djite:scored a few goals. Put that down to my longevity, you know, my clinical finishing I moved to Korea, then for a couple of years, then Indonesia in 2018. and came back to Adelaide last year. So going into this football director role, so yeah, good career, long career retired on my own terms, you know, I was interested in other other other aspects of life after, you know, playing professional football for 13 years and all enjoying it, and don't ever miss playing which Yeah,
Daniel Franco:we've got you interested now that you've transitioned into a new role. I'm really interested in your family. I know you're quite private, I guess in regards to family, I don't want to go into all the detail. But I have a young family as well, myself. So I'm always interested about people who are at the top of their game achieving. You've moved around a lot when did like, how old are you? You've got a couple of kids,
Bruce Djite:two kids, five year old and a soon to be four year old.
Daniel Franco:There you go. Excellent. Happy birthday. So I'm really interested in that travel, traveling with family. You know, what that does? how you manage work, play and relationships in all that in the above? Have you got any sort of secrets to
Bruce Djite:no secrets, I mean, when a big reason why I wanted to move to Korea was to give the kids the opportunity to live in another country. girls, boys, one eldest is boy and youngest is girl. So that's perfect for us. Yeah. or anything like that. Yeah. So look, one of the big reasons went to Korea was to give the kids that global sort of perspective. Obviously, they're very young. Yeah. And you think they don't pick anything up, but does have an impact? My family's very global, you know, my brothers live in New York, you know, parents in Africa, cousins in Africa. cousins in France, you know, so we're all over the place. Which is good. It's, it's interesting. I mean, it's Christmas can always be on a different continent. Yeah. It's fantastic. You know, so for the kids, it's good that they're well traveled. But living in Korea for a couple of years, my son was two. So it was more impactful for him. My daughter was four months when when I moved. So then gone from there to Indonesia. And a big reason I didn't want to come back to Australia was to continue with the global sort of experience, both for myself, but but also for the kids as well. Yeah. And my son went kindy, in Indonesia was an international school. We went to half a day, every day, when he was three years old at that time. And yeah, it was it was really interesting, you know, coming back to Australia, and he picked up on on a lot of differences. Yeah, you know, thought he that just played at childcare and early learning, where in Indonesia, we did real work. It's very much rote learning there. You know, you're learning the alphabet, you're learning how to write at a very young age. And, you know, you bring an a4 page of homework home, you know, a couple of times a week, whereas here, it's learn through play.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. Yeah. It's a different
Bruce Djite:like, it's still learning, but it's so. Exactly. So that was interesting. You know, you'd hear music in Woolworths car parks and think it was the call to prayer from being in Indonesia when the mosques. You know, going off five times a day. So explaining that to him was was really cool. My daughter remembers Indonesia. She doesn't remember Korea. But she loves noodles and stuff. And you know, that's come from upbringing. Yeah, and you know, just the different sides
Daniel Franco:proper noodles. Not the
Bruce Djite:it's not the magic. You know,
Daniel Franco:the ones that my kids love everyone up on the OC noodles. Oh, yeah. It's
Bruce Djite:interesting. And it's good and, and, you know, then you can show them the globe or the world and yeah,
Daniel Franco:that's where my family lives.
Bruce Djite:That's right. And to be fair, Adelaide is a fantastic place. Also, we've got obviously the alliance with the French in the shipbuilding. Yeah, absolutely. And I fence contracts. And there's a school here that my son goes to where they do, he's in the French program. So I do French four days a week on the whole days. For French classes. Oh, wow. whole days, because
Daniel Franco:You're multi lingual. Yeah, French was my first first language and you speak English
Bruce Djite:but um, Turkish was really good. After a few years. I can still I wouldn't say I could hold a conversation anymore. I was conversational. By the time I left Turkey, now I can have a very basic conversation. But yeah, language is obviously important. My Chinese was okay, during my time there, but I did Mandarin schools at a period as well, which helped. So yeah, I think, you know, having that global perspective and the ability to speak at least two languages, I think, for me is very important.
Daniel Franco:Absolutely. So you now moved, you've come back to Adelaide, and you've moved into the director of football role in a world where everything's kind of turned upside down. being new to the role, how have you found that have you? Yeah.
Bruce Djite:What are the key concerns I had, prior to deciding to retire was looking at me on my toes, you know, what's really gonna get me going, and we're gonna work on three projects, and then, you know, they don't come off and you've wasted three years or, you know, this role. You know, there's always something going on every day. Maybe not every day, but four out of five days a week, something's happening. You know, it's a seven day a week job, you know, there's games on the weekend, or you're traveling on the weekends, is this there's always something happening. Add COVID Yeah, it's been a very entertaining, you know, a lot of tough discussions, obviously, in recent months, even now financially, that the impacts been severe on on the club and sport industry as a whole. I think through my experiences, has held me in good stead. Yeah, you know, it's easy to read a balance sheet spreadsheets is know what the cash flow is going to be. That's all basic stuff. That's, that's, that's easy. It's the Garching stuff that comes out, it's the relationship management, it's the ability to deal with a crisis that makes it challenging. Where I am fortunate is that I've had a lot of experiences. So I've been a player, I was on the board of the players Union for over four years, and the Governance Committee there, I was, you know, worked at Fox Sports for a period. So I know how the media interpret and try to interpret things at different times. You know, I'm now in this role with my club hat on. So I know what you know, the club perspective is, and the dire circumstances, the financials and all the rest, I can see all different angles. So when I'm speaking to players, I can also put myself in the player shoes. And they told me about transfers or loans or opportunities or, you know, the emotions that they go through see exactly, so that helps me level exactly understand what they're going through, as opposed to someone who's I don't know, academically, very switched on never kicked the ball in their life and is trying to navigate players and coaches and medical staff
Daniel Franco:families.
Bruce Djite:There's only so much you can, you can understand. You know, I've been a foreigner in countries before. So I know how difficult it must be for the foreigners during COVID they're away from their immediate family. Maybe their kids and stuff are here but their parents and then aren't. their cousins Aren't you know, the brothers and sisters aren't? My brothers live in New York on our family's not here I got no.
Daniel Franco:So realistically, this role is built for just
Bruce Djite:Well, just it just it just just helps. Don't get me wrong. I've probably burned a lot of relationship capital during the last six months, because I'm the bearer of bad news nine times out of 10 Yeah,
Daniel Franco:but um, but that's not a result of your character. It's not a result of the requirements stances as well.
Bruce Djite:And in the end, you just got to be honest with people. Yeah, no, no, I think integrity and ethical standards are key to any role. And as long as you're honest, and I've got no problem being honest, asking. Just ask the players, but um, you know, I'll just, I'll just tell them how it is. And sometimes it's good news. Sometimes the sad news,
Daniel Franco:those tough relationship, those tough conversations, I should say, How do you prepare for them? Because they that's the gut wrenching stuff we're talking about when you're going through the time of code and you're offline people contracts have been ended. Always,
Bruce Djite:always, always love the challenge. Yeah. And in this role, I've had more difficult conversations and ever, you know, even pre COVID when I was having those days meetings, I'd always wake up and be like, no, this is gonna be really challenging. This is good. This is good. This is experience that you need absolutely to make the next steps or, or whatever. And it's a good experience to have, you know, the discussion and the outcome or, or the news that he's got to be delivered might be negative. But you've got to have the capability to do that. Yeah. You know, he can't shy away from from these things. You know, this is what leadership is about. It's not about being liked, or doing people favors or, you know, just cotton walling people, yes, just about leadership, right. And that doesn't mean you're some psycho fist, no bashing the table type tyrant. It just means you've just got to tell people the truth, be empathetic. But also, you know, give them an understanding as to why that decision is being made. And if you can go to bed saying that, honestly, I'm just honest, yeah, they might be angry for a month or two. But they'll come around. Yeah. I'm very comfortable doing that, as opposed to, you know, telling the semi truth. And that come back to bite you in a couple of months. I'm not gonna do that. No,
Daniel Franco:there's no point in saying everything will be okay.
Bruce Djite:Yeah, always say just Just tell him. Yeah. And as a player, I know. That's what they want to know. Yeah. I don't coach Don't tell me that. I'm doing really great. And never pick me. Yeah, just tell me that I'm crapping you don't want me? Yeah. And then I'll go somewhere else feedback and but then at least i know it's a feedback
Daniel Franco:So that that is a really important point, I play a little bit of sport, in my junior career at some higher higher levels. I attribute that to, I guess, my mindset, and my constant desire for feedback in how to improve. I'm constantly asking everyone I work with, you know, Gabrielle, and Michelle, people who work with me on a daily basis. What do I What can I do? What work? How do I get better? Do you believe and, and going back to my children, I really want them to get into team sports and all that sort of stuff. Do you believe that sport has really allowed you to flourish in your business career, in the sense that you are able to set goals, you know, and, you know, we want to win the cup, right? So we are setting goals as a team, you're working with all bunch of different characters, you're going through really high emotions, and really low emotions throughout the season, the constant feedback you get every single week, after every game. Do you believe that that has allowed you to flourish as a as a businessman?
Bruce Djite:Definitely, yeah. And there are so many lessons in sport, that are so critical to the building of the individual, you know, it's not just win, lose or played good, played poorly. You know, it's all those other lessons that come along with sport. And I think that's what sports pay for my great speakers, you know, keynotes about leadership or resilience and overcoming hurdles and challenges. Now, always, always believe that, you know, sport and politics are the two fields that are the most publicly scrutinized. Yeah, right. And feedback is constant. So that voice in your head is constant. If you can control that voice in your head, you're setting yourself up for some pretty good times. Yeah. throughout life, you know, it's at training, everything you do you that you're getting feedback from teammates, or from coaches. And from that voice in your head. Yeah. All right, good pass, bad pass needed to be a bit stronger. That pass should have switched should have done that instead. Yeah, should have shot not my decision. Like it's constant constant. And it's like, talking to yourself 24, seven, 1000 times a second. You know, it's, and then you get to the game on the weekend. The Times that by 100. So because you're your teammate, you're 10s of 1000s of people in the stands. You got your coach, you got halftime, you got for all wins any break in the game, you know, it's constant. What should we do? What do we need to do? We're losing, we're winning, how do we hold on to the lead? You know, should I've shot then the corner doesn't need to go back post near post. How do I defend here? Yeah, it's constant. You know, it's really high engagement levels, right. So and there's no hiding. You can't hide in the public. in the public eye. 24 seven make that pass 20,000 people in the newspapers the next day. You play poorly, the journalists are going to decry your lack of ability you know also works on the flip side, when things gone. Well, it sounds like you're, you're the best thing since sliced bread. So the ability to deal with the ups and downs and the scrutiny really help you and hold you in good stead when it comes to work out for me when I was studying, it's just something that's built in your bones, you got to do the best, you got to be the best, you know? if, if, if if you get a certain mark, you always like, what can I get two or three? You know, when you're working, like in my role now, doesn't matter how difficult the circumstances are? Still do my best. I'm still I'm still trying to get to that next level. You know? What, no, there's no, there's no sort of laziness. There's no complacency doesn't exist in my mindset. You know, I've got friends that within their company, maybe there's a resignation or an opportunity pops up to move from whatever level they are to move on that one door. I can't understand that. Yeah. Like it doesn't that doesn't work. My, I'm just not built like that, yeah. When you call that person, yeah, like 10 hour days, every day responsibility, like, I'm just happy and doing what I'm doing. And I'm like, what
Daniel Franco:challenge accepted almost.
Bruce Djite:Next level. That's sort of my mindset,
Daniel Franco:your real entrepreneurs mindset. And I guess for you an intrapreneur the way you sort of you lead your business, I guess, in Adelaide United. The, I'm really interested in that mindset, I have the same thing. I guess for me, it's always like, well, yeah, why wouldn't you want to be the best of your day? Like, it doesn't make sense why you would settle for anything less? I'm really interested in what you said about controlling that voice in your head. What are some of your tips, I guess, do you? do you meditate? Do you read? Do you journal? What would you, are there any tips that you can provide to for those who are in that, I guess playing at the top of their game, and need to silence not silence but need to gain some control over that voice.
Bruce Djite:I think, in about I was 24 25 someone sent me silencing the mind sort of mini video, you know, and I was saying how important it was for tennis players to silence their mind, you know, and they say when you're in the zone, the zone, you don't hear that voice in your head, you know, the basketball, or that's hitting three pointers 10 in a row. You're very pleased not thinking like, county this morning, I need to do this. The rings over there defenders, they're not analyzing the situation. They're just in the zone, store dramatic. You know, in tennis, they say, how many players have had match point, double fault, lose that game end up losing the match? You know? Why do you say tennis players double fault, they serve 10,000 times a week, the voice that goes
Daniel Franco:in and is that voice
Bruce Djite:in the head gets negative, okay, just push the server bit here, go for the ace you know, I've got a play it safe and then you know, make sure you get the return,
Daniel Franco:Yeah, you know, it played around a few guys in whatever, whatever it might be telling you start to overthink things cuz I'm in football. You know, if you're not scoring goals, the golf feels a bit smaller, the goalkeeper looks a bit larger. And you're like, Hey, I really need to push it to the real corner might hit the post and go out, you know, whereas if you just in the zone might miss kick the ball that go s in. Right? So controlling the oice in your head is extremely i portant. I'm not a guy fo journals or meditating or anyth ng. I'm very self aware. Some we l aware with what I'm doing at ll times. So I'm about to be rud to someone. I consciously kno that that's what is about to occurr and the reaction is not oing to be positive. If if if I m stressed or angry about som thing, I'm very calm at all time. I can be very angry. I ne er yell that is something my ids always say. Like, I don't need to yell, I can be angry wi hout your life. Yeah, that's all we do.
Bruce Djite:They just yell,[inaudible audio], in Sydney, and everyone's yelling you know. But um, but look, I think that, you know, I understand. I know who I am. Yeah, and not that real good self realization. Some say, you know, I'm gonna buy that person a mirror for their house and never look intrinsically to see what's going on. So always look intrinsically first always blame myself first. And cause I'm not self conscious. I'm very comfortable to do that. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, it also gives me the ability to go and speak to anyone about anything. Yeah, because I know that everyone has their demons or everyone has their, their self conscious about something or they don't like something about themselves. And I don't see anyone as superior, you know, everyone's human. So that gives me the comfort that I was wrong there probably shouldn't have done that.
Daniel Franco:We've got your ego in check, really telling you, you have an ego. That's, that's the thing.
Bruce Djite:I think you just got to be, you've got to be aware, I know when I've played well, I know when I've made a good deal. I know when I've played poorly. I'm just I'm just self aware. And unfortunately, a lot of people aren't. And that's that's doesn't surprise me a great deal. Because the way society sort of is moving, but does limit people's ability to really excel in the field that there is
Daniel Franco:you attribute that to, I guess, the routines and habits that you've built over your career. There's that constant repetition and that constant feedback that it's built you to a point where you are so self aware, like you said.
Bruce Djite:I think it's I think every one is different. And everyone's very competitive in their own minds, as mental health will Yeah, statistics will tell you, but there's a lot of players who, you know, they'll play a poor pass and blame their teammates for being in the wrong spot. You know, there's a lot of sports people that aren't self aware when it comes to the sport performance. I don't think it's attributable to sport. I just think it's my makeup. Yeah. And some people like that some people aren't. It's something that probably could be taught to a degree, but you need to be genuinely inward looking, I think and understand when you don't know, know things as well. Like, I meet a lot of people, especially in a game that's as opinionated as football. Whether this player is good displays no good. This players great. This play will be great. This player won't be any good. I don't really know most. But of course, there's a top class player waiting like Ronaldo is really good. Yes, He's unbelievable. Like, my son will tell you that. Yeah. No, but there's a massive band of pliers, where a lot of people say they're great. They never make it. You know, a lot of people say no, and it'll Johnny's no good. And he ends up being a superstar. So, you know, there's, there's, there's a lot of opinions, and I think you just need to I'm not a jack of all trades. I've got a certain skill set. And I'm happy to delegate decision makes, for example, goalkeeping. Yeah, I was never goalkeeping. And I really believe in context, knowledge, like, living it, doing it.
Daniel Franco:Yeah, so long understands a lonely position.
Bruce Djite:I'm not too interested in content knowledge. You don't go read a book and memorize it and regurgitate it, you know, you just live the experience. It's lived experience. You could be the doctor of your school, go to the best private school in the world and get the best marks in you know, Middle East Policy. You know? You never been the Middle East. You don't speak Arabic. You're not Arab. I'm not interested in you. Yeah. You need to have a mix. I don't say content is not important and the reading of the books and you know, academics isn't important. Yes, it's important but it's half less than half the lived experience it's a lived experience that that makes a difference right so when it comes to goalkeepers I always defer to our goalkeeping coach Eugene Gilovich. Because I might say that's great safe, like here, but technically, you know that these footwork was Mike's Geez, I didn't even
Daniel Franco:he saved the ball
Bruce Djite:save. So I and again, I know within myself that this guy an expert on this, yeah, let me speak to the expert and tell me what he said. You know,
Daniel Franco:so how important is building the right team around you. Then?
Bruce Djite:exceptionally important. You see through COVID? Perfect example. You know, Steven Marshall's done a fantastic job here. Not because
Daniel Franco:you're trying to get to them. I know.
Bruce Djite:It's a fact. Yeah. Not because in epidemiologist.
Daniel Franco:He has done well. He does
Bruce Djite:Nicholas Perea is obviously very good at what she does. She's obviously got a very good team that's executing what needs to be executed. You know, the police commissioner, Grant Stevens done a fantastic job there. You can look at other jurisdictions, yeah, that aren't doing as well. And of course, it's always the head person or the person on top of the tree who has to fall on their sword? Because ultimately, it's their responsibility. But it's not because that individual didn't make a specific decision. And it's all their fault. Yeah. But that individual has the capacity to build their team, you know. So, in football, it's not the coach's fault all the time. But the coach always takes the ultimate responsibility on the team's performance, because they have the capacity and capability to set the team up to choose the players to build their staff. Know, if you got injuries all the time, it's very easy to blame the physio Yeah, but he's your physio. So ultimately, the relate the responsibility always falls with the person at the top, because that person takes ultimate responsibility in all the decision making process that happens underneath, you know, so, again, I just think, you know, having context knowledge, and, you know, you've got a goalkeeping coach, who used to be a goalkeeper who understands what it is to be a goalkeeper, and to be coached by a goalkeeping coach, you know, you can't have my physio, he might add, he might have the pro license for a goalkeeper here. I'm just passionate about goalkeeper coaching. I did all my certificates. You know, I'm very highly qualified. But I've never been in goals. never play a game? You know, I've never kicked the ball. I know we've long gone with.
Daniel Franco:So when you're looking and building your team, what do you look for? What's some characteristics that you look for in some of these leaders?
Bruce Djite:I think it's important to get good people. Yeah, first and foremost, we can talk about context knowledge, you can talk about content knowledge, you can talk about the ability, because they're academically gifted, you can talk about their ability with people on the relationship side, there's such great people. But if, if the character is not good, they're not a team player. All that stuff falls, by the way.
Daniel Franco:So behavioral competencies is the key.
Bruce Djite:you just need to have a lot of, you need to have a good level of soft skills.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. What about the same? Do you recruit people who think differently to you? Or do they have to have the same vision is what you want? Or do you get challenged by these people,
Bruce Djite:it's always beneficial if the if if the vision aligns. I think that's key, but it's not my vision needs to be like the club Club's vision, you need to be, you know, we got certain parameters that we're plugging people into, you know, we don't want rogues coming in and trying to do the complete, you know, we're trying to bring in young players, and give them the opportunity to play so then they can go overseas. So we're not gonna bring in a coach who just wants to bring in plus 30 year olds, yeah, then then it's just not gonna work. So you got any people that don't have to perfectly align, you don't want groupthink to be part of the dynamic. And again, you can debate and have discussions on a range of things. As long as the respect is there. And decisions are made as a collective. You know, I'm not someone who's like, I've got all the answers, boys, this what we're doing. Girls, this is what you're born. I'm someone that's, that'll say, you know, what do you think? I've got my thoughts. I know what I want.
Daniel Franco:Yeah, but hear everyone out.
Bruce Djite:But let me let me let me listen. Because I understand that I've got a certain perspective on life, through my experiences and everything. And your perspective will be different, because your experiences and the outcome might not be the same. And you might have a really good point. I haven't even actually it hasn't even crossed my mind. And I want to get all that information.
Daniel Franco:It's the same what you mentioned before about[inaudible audio]. Your I guess, perception of what a goalkeeper what a good save is, is different to his. So
Bruce Djite:I understand that I've got no idea.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. I think it's a really important point is when you talk about, you know, hiring the team around, you're building that team around you. It's about getting other lived experiences exactly what you're saying.
Bruce Djite:Diversity works really well. But with a common goal you need you need the common goal and agreed strategy on how to arrive there. And then you need the diverse views within that to challenge and push and pull. And eventually those diverse views will lead you to the best possible outcome you want to achieve the outcome. But if it's true, if it's true group thing can everyone just being Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes Yes, yes all the way you want to get there. Yeah. But the outcome probably wouldn't be as good as robust. Yeah, exactly.
Daniel Franco:You do a little bit of work in the charity world, you are an ambassador, All Together Now. Can you explain the role that all together now play in the community and what your you're doing with those guys?
Bruce Djite:Yeah. So All Together Now is very small, charitable organization. You know, they, their modus operandi, Mo, really, is to eradicate racism. And I've been involved with them for a number of years now, well, before race and came back, and all this sort of stuff. So you know, basically, to raise awareness, I got a really good app, where it's like, you know, be in the minority shoes for a day.
Daniel Franco:So what's the app called? Look it up, you're gonna put it in the show notes.
Bruce Djite:Yeah,
Daniel Franco:can we make sure the app names in the show list?
Bruce Djite:And you're in that person's shoes for a day, and you got options? depending on the circumstances that arise, you know, you might have someone say something racist on a bus, you know, how do you react to that? And then the idea is like, Jesus, like it's meant to be eye opening. Yeah. Well, I didn't know that.
Daniel Franco:That person today looks like that's what they actually are this, this comes back to the lived experience.
Bruce Djite:And it's very hard to for certain people,
Daniel Franco:I'm your typical stereotype as for I guess, from a white male, middle aged male, and yes, so for me it is. It is hard to live in someone else' shoes. Because it's I've always been lucky, I guess, if that's the right word, but I assume that there would have been a period where are your parents or grandparents when they came?
Bruce Djite:Yeah, we probably suffered a lot of racing along the way. Like [inaudible audio]
Daniel Franco:My mother came. Mother was born in Italy. My dad was born here. Early, very, his family just moved here. And then he was born. But my mother moved over here when she was four or five years old. And you're going into the schooling system? received, Yeah, a lot was was name called a lot. I played a lot of cricket, actually. And I was always the, I guess, walk the walk boy who played cricket. So I have, I guess, experienced that but not not too
Bruce Djite:different in the sense that when you look different, yeah. That the judgments automatic. Whereas if you look similar, your judgment might not be to start speaking or that person or next. Yeah, whatever, you know, so it's, it is different. And, you know, that not that life's meant to be easy, and everyone sings Kumbaya. You know, that's not the way it's gonna ever be. But that the the, the needs to be a level of tolerance.
Daniel Franco:Yeah
Bruce Djite:I think and the difficulty is, is the judge the judgment, you know, it's very hard for a kid who's grown up with racist parents or whatever, however they've come to be, it's very hard then to change that person's initial thought. might not say anything. No. But the initial thought, where it's like, are Chinese. That's what needs to. That's the challenge, really. And that has to be it's generational. It's someone has been raised forty years.
Daniel Franco:Right? So To be fair, that then we gonna wait eighty years for these people to die out or whatever it is.
Bruce Djite:I don't think so I think the thing in society I think what happens is, it's it's a cycle, right? And this is why it hasn't gotten it's improved, but it's not it's still rears its ugly head every year so often, is because it's not socially acceptable anymore. So it goes more underground. But then as soon as something flares up, right away, it comes back. It just goes dormant. Yeah, doesn't go away. And then there's dormant and yeah, it's like when COVID hit. Oh, look, everyone's phones was blown up with Chinese people. Yeah. Yeah, they bats they this, they Chinese. Yeah, all of a sudden, all these negative connotations.
Daniel Franco:Well, they still kind of
Bruce Djite:you saw so that happened. Yeah. Then the George Floyd killing and then it was like, huh, black people. Like I just Bang, bang. Yeah. And I won't stop talking about COVID. Yeah. And now it's that that goes a bit more dormant. And then COVID comes back. And you know, that's not on the center stage. But doesn't mean racism has gone away. people stop talking about it, but only takes a little trigger, and it's still there. So just shows how much work still needs to be done.
Daniel Franco:You've come out and publicly said, I know you're on a TV show recently where you've come out and said that education is key is the app that this lab Altogether Now provide? Is that a really good start for that education?
Bruce Djite:Fantastic. Yes. That's a good start. I think school is is also very important.
Daniel Franco:You know, in what perspective you think
Bruce Djite:you talk about indigenous people like I don't know your school. I didn't do much on indigenous did the dreamtime stories? Yeah, I think rainbow serpent. Yeah. Those obviously. Been in America. Yeah, seriously. And then you hear about stolen generation? Yeah. might do that for a term? Yeah, maybe five or six. That's it.
Daniel Franco:You know, and there's a really good program that put out like football club are running on the Aboriginal and indigenous Australia awareness, I should say. It's really, brillant. So I'm trying to get Paul Vandenberg. Yeah. Do you know Paul? Yeah. Paul and his team run that they they run a really fantastic program, multicultural programs. Unreal bag. Right. You know, but it's a football club don't Yeah, I know. Right. Exactly.
Bruce Djite:Can you see the gaps? Yeah. You know, so that's why I think education is a an important part and low education minister, not some teacher on the last person talk to you about curriculums, yeah, how to implement them and all the rest? All I'd say is, we need to do more, so that Australians, all Australian kids have a better understanding of how indigenous and tall Austraila Island people but also a better understanding of race, how it works. Here. Yeah, obviously, in America, it's it's a similar but different beast, different histories, you know, all around the world, there's, there's different sort of touch points, I think we can do an Australian specific one that's concentrating on that, and touch on the global stuff, you know, and the global issues. But the obviously, being an Australian, Australian curriculum, you'd want to concentrate on the indigenous people here.
Daniel Franco:I it's an area that I guess I need a lot of education on to, but I'm really passionate about this area. I've got two young children that go to school there, I almost that almost nine, and almost seven to eight, six, a couple of weeks away as well. So the but I guess one thing that I really noticed when I sent through a sentence I first went to school is that they didn't see I've been brought up in a family that don't see color, that I see color. And they don't see Cree they don't they just see human being in front of them. And it's so when you when you say education in the schools? Yeah, it's an interesting one for me, because I guess all of a sudden, my children, for example, would be exposed to something that they didn't even know was a thing. And so it's funny, it's a funny line, what would
Bruce Djite:I think? What are they? Eight and six?
Daniel Franco:They'll get exposed like there is there are no doubt right? That's the way
Bruce Djite:I don't know if you you know, it's not a it's not a it's not? What naki you're not going to discuss stolen generation to reception kids. No, no, or you want to know, that comes in time might be a high school thing. But when I do start to say color and differences and movies and pop culture and all this sort of stuff come into play on, I think it's something to do in the early years. Like I said, could they're still so innocent. Yeah. And just, you know, fantastic.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. So they are in other people like it's great. Yeah. The higher Yeah, I
Bruce Djite:think it's, it's possible. Yeah, whether it be more sophisticated mentally, you know, that can come from wide eyed, innocent sort of upbringing, you know, and I think it's, maybe it's a high school thing. Like I said, I'm the last person. Yeah. Talk about curriculum and the specifics of it. But yeah, I agree with you. It's not something that you need to put in reception in you one you do the dreamtime stories. Yeah. Why stuff? Yeah. And then you get to, you know, learn about World War Two. And you know what's happened with the indigent? All the more harder to absorb? Not so nice topics and stories
Daniel Franco:smack in the face when you actually know what we're not exactly. Yeah. Yeah, that's a is a, something I do think the education system needs to look at. So if you're listening, yeah. Also an ambassador for Roger shade Foundation, a little heroes, what are you? Little heroes, for those who don't listen is for child, children who have cancer and cancer and who are seriously ill. Amazing, something that's okay. Something really that's really close to my heart as well. Without delving into that, where do you find the time to?
Bruce Djite:I could be home more
Daniel Franco:that's going back to the family thing? Oh, just how do you manage?
Bruce Djite:Yeah, you know, well, that's busy. But I like to be busy.
Daniel Franco:What's your calendar?
Bruce Djite:And honestly, I don't even know what's next. My calendar is always backed.
Daniel Franco:Do you manage your own calendar?
Bruce Djite:Yeah, I'll do yeah. And people say, you know, what are you doing next Tuesday? What are you doing tomorrow? I'm like, I don't know, let me refer to my calendar because it's all locked in. If it's not in my calendar, doesn't happen.
Daniel Franco:I like that as well.
Bruce Djite:But I get to work at about 6:30 in the morning. Well, I'll start then. And then the hope that I can get home by 6pm. And it's not all Adelaide United, you know, because I have all these other roles and responsibilities that I've taken on board and that's really cosmology for community. I just want to make specifically South Australia better. Yeah. So I do take on all these roles. I do manage it quite carefully. So Roger sheets, Sports Foundation, Little Heroes Foundation, isn't time doesn't take up a heap of my time. It doesn't, I help find grace, I'll all go out. And, and, you know, Roger Sheets Sports Foundation in conjunction with councils, they build sporting, one called an arranged buys build sporting facilities for disadvantaged kids who don't have access to club sport. Club Sport, generally can be quite expensive. Yeah. So in conjunction with councils will raise money. You know, build a tennis court that incorporates basketball, might ever hitting a wall, where if you're just by yourself, you know, you can get a tennis ball and hit against the wall, the line, there's a net. You know, you can play soccer on those chords. You know, there's lines everywhere. So if I'm playing netball, basketball, soccer, hockey, so tennis, it's all it's all sort of and I'll just be the park.
Daniel Franco:Yeah, you know, that's, there's I often think that, you know, you talk about Lionel Messi, Lionel Messi before being the freak, right. So I always wonder if you if the next Messi is in a child that couldn't afford to play club sport?
Bruce Djite:Probably, but that and the difficulty here is that community sport here cost money. And it's, it's, it's time consuming. So you know, if you're from a low socio economic background, your parents probably working two jobs. Yeah, but I'm Tom taking thanks trainings blah, blah. In Africa and South America, which poorer countries? You know, message from Argentina? Yeah. They just play. Yeah. Anyway, everywhere. It's, it's, it's fine. It's the days of playing on the road, and playing in parks till the sun goes down. It's not happening anymore because society sort of changed scares, risks to Yeah, exactly. To the kids. So of course, there could be another message here. It's not about lack of equipment, or, you know, the innovative play club sport. It's just the inability to access sport, full stop. But yeah, going back to what I was saying about that, those foundations, they're not heavily time consuming. There's a few others that are bit more time consuming, but what I do is I start early, generally. And finish relatively light but early enough to get home spend some days of the week yeah. Some days of the week. Yeah. So so because you travel? Yeah, yeah. You got to travel on the weekends, obviously. COVID helped me stay home a lot more. But I was lucky, you know, as a player. Also not one in the afternoon. General. Yeah. Every day. Yeah. So my kids grow from Yeah, from when they were born till soon as your wife still wish you were playing. He spent. Maybe. Maybe. We started preseason camp, and stuff like that. But I was definitely home more as a as a player. But I knew that you know, and she knows that. Her wish for me to get home earlier, which I do on a few occasions. So Thursdays, I'll pick my son up from school, and not taking the training and the football. Yeah, he's playing soccer. So he plays football. So I'll take him to training and we get there early and muck around yesterday. I got home early, you just find the balance. Yeah. So depending on what my week looks like, I'll always make sure there's some time for them. Always weekends, I'll just cut out exclusive for them, especially during COVID. Don't have to travel. So weekend, Saturday, Sunday, except this weekend. I've got a couple of things in the mornings on Saturday and Sunday. But that means next week, you know, I'll make sure Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, I'm early. You know, if that means I got to get to work earlier. I'll do that because doing the school drop off, or getting home early enough to get the park. They prefer me. I can ask them now they're old enough? Yeah, what do you want to do? Take your school, you want Dad to be home early so we can go to the park. So come home early and be in the park, you know, good to me, you know. So I find the balance, it's important to have a balance. And you know, I'll do a few things. But I say no to most because I know that honestly, I won't be able to deliver what was there they're asking.
Daniel Franco:So in amongst all that you're on a few boards as well. I understand. But you're also keen venture capitalists and investor in in areas as well. What bought that interest? Because you mentioned finance before Really? Where did that love of of
Bruce Djite:investing. I've always been interested in investing always since you know, 2008 probably when I bought my first sort of investment property. I've always been fascinated. I grew up in a relatively affluent part of Sydney. And I was always fascinated in high school. Just how well off some of these people were. These guys have been in Australia for generations, generations. You know, my kids were the first generations of my family to be born here. But I don't know well, you know, Sydney, but I've got a house parties and Taronga Zoo and staff and the houses, they're ridiculous. And I'd be in the kitchen. And as a teenager, you don't really understand the value of the place of the love Jesus. This was really nice. Yeah.
Daniel Franco:When you walk into [inaudible audio], good as staircase, it goes two ways.
Bruce Djite:You know what i mean? When you ask the kids. What do your parents do again? Yeah. Cuz maybe that's maybe something i should be doing. Yeah. And
Daniel Franco:it's an interesting way of thinking though. I mean, most kids would
Bruce Djite:just okay. But yeah, and then it occurred to me that no, it's not income in wages that allowing these people to have this lifestyle. It's investment in capital. The rich dad poor dad. It's like, okay, so you had Commonwealth Bank shares? No, five bucks. Yeah. Oh, no, the dividends about five bucks. You know what I mean? Yeah. So it's like that perpetual growth and you didn't actually have to do any work? Yeah. put the money in. Yeah.
Daniel Franco:Look, a little bit of research goes into
Bruce Djite:Compound interest in Okay. Okay. That's interesting, obviously, that I had no money so yeah, if I ever do get some money, maybe this is somebody to look at.
Daniel Franco:Did you invest in startups and stuff as well? Or is it
Bruce Djite:shares? Yeah, sorry. So my brother's an investment banker. Yeah, so he works at Merrill Lynch in New York. He gives you Well, he doesn't give me tips. He's keen on investing. That's for sure. And obviously through our network and friendship group there's a lot of bankers a lot of private equity guys, there's a lot of startup guys people in this field. Yeah. So obviously you always see the good stories, right there's a lot of bad stories don't don't get me wrong in there as well. You know, people always love to [inaudible audio] you know, that was a 10 bagger. I made so much money, but I never talked about all the money nice. So I'll often times so we always we always looked at investments. Started like most Australians in property, safe bricks and mortar. You can renovate a recurring income negative gearing blah, blah, blah. Don't take long to know all the ins and outs on property. Then it was equities, which I thought I could do really well. And you know, I was on all the analyst calls and all this sort of stuff. And I'd spend all this time, hours and hours a week. How do I invest, putting them to my own sort of filters and working it all out myself? And then you know, it all goes to the family trust and blah, blah, blah. And then I'd get the statement at the end of the year. And I'm like, you made two grand? Yeah. All these time and money. And DSO quickly occurred to me that, you know, I'm an ATF type of guy. Yeah, exchange traded funds, let it just sit there and do its thing and invest dollar cost averaging over time, and blah, blah, blah. And then, so we did that. And then you keep looking further and further. So and it's about diversification as well. So startups come into it. My brother's, one of his best mates. Dads, is his has venture capital funds. Yeah, they raise money. And they buy into startups. Because we're not multi multi multi millionaires. To put all your eggs in one basket, like, you know, you hear about, yeah, you always hear about, you know,
Daniel Franco:someone who invested in Facebook when it's exactly, you
Bruce Djite:know, hear about these people and Bitcoin. Exactly, yeah, average Joe thinks like, Oh, yeah, I'll just put some money in x. And hopefully it does well, you know, we obviously have the self realization that, you know, what, if we just put money here, and it doesn't do well, when problems? So a fund works well, for us. Yeah. So invest through through that they update us quarterly? You know, it's not something where you're the loss making entity. Yeah, all the startups need the cash and, and all the rest, and you hope one does well, and knowing that, you know, non probably for low, you know, if you get 10% of winners, you're probably doing really, really well actually, you know, you might get 1% of winners. So that's why we
Daniel Franco:index Instagram and Facebook page. Yeah. And,
Bruce Djite:and again, that's only a small percentage of our investment portfolio. Because, like I said, we're not wealthy enough to really, you know, so yeah, I'm, you know, I'm just, and, you know, we didn't come from money. But throughout the journey, you're always, for us, it was always about, wow, if you can actually invest in the capital assets, like, your income, then it's not, you know, it's not about just to earn all this money for my kids in private school. So I can invest in some 10 years ago, private schools paid. Exactly. And I didn't have to do any work to pay for it.
Daniel Franco:Well, it's the research that you have done that probably most people have, I get that
Bruce Djite:but like, you know, you got people. You know, my dad always said, My dad was a university professor, I'd always say, you know, the pen's lighter than the brake, you know, if you're academically smart, and you know, your life will be easier if you choose it to be easier, you know, physically anyway. So, yeah, that's, that's sort of the investment sort of journey with us. It's, it's, it's worked quite well. It's always something I've been interested in. And, you know, I'm not sitting here saying, you know, invest in Facebook. Yeah, you know, but, uh, well, you
Daniel Franco:got a keen interest in it. Yeah. I am conscious of your time, we're approaching a time where you need to go. So I'm gonna ask you a quick few questions. I guess one thing that I'm really interested is when you are when you when you feel overwhelmed, what are some What are some of your techniques that you what was what do you do when you're overwhelmed? You know, I'm never overwhelmed. You're never overwhelmed.
Bruce Djite:And you know what? Maybe this is the technique, but I'm like, you know, it always works out.
Daniel Franco:It always works.
Bruce Djite:It always works itself out if you've done nothing wrong. Overwhelmed about like our dear, this house card is going to come crashing. Yeah. But if you're honest, and stuff transparent integrity, you know what I mean? You're not gonna be overwhelmed. Yeah. You know, you just don't get me wrong. There's some stressful days. I mean, standing down the planes was horrendous day. Yeah. Wasn't overwhelming, but it was a lot of calls or a lot of distress on the line. Yeah. Oh, it was not easy. followers are I've actually done in the role. And you get a higher level of stress, like stressing for people I call this is not good, then you get off that call and you're making the next one. This is not going to be good either. So so it is stressful. But it's not overwhelming. Yeah, I don't believe that I think I'm unique in the sense that I'm never feel overwhelmed. I am unique, because I know a lot of people that that will deal with this stuff.
Daniel Franco:You've been on the pitching in front of 10s of 1000s. That's true. That helps. So you've, you've had the pressure, you've been in the pressure cooker.
Bruce Djite:I've never felt overwhelmed yet. Maybe I'm not at remember from Alan Joyce down to 1000 people and on [inaudible audio] and planes in the desert, and borders a shot and then maybe I don't think I'm at a high enough position to feel overwhelmed yet
Daniel Franco:don't doubt yourself. They might where as a high achiever I guess you are your biggest critic too what's a what's a what's a gap that you feel that you
Bruce Djite:I'm not as empathetic as I probably could be? Definitely. So you know, I'm just more perspective on things are more like, if you're in Australia, nothing is that bad?
Daniel Franco:Yeah, yeah. I heard a statistic, something. And I don't know, and I can't attribute this to anything. But someone said that if you're in Australia already 98% successful.
Bruce Djite:I don't know if that's
Daniel Franco:like maybe this railway line, but it makes sense. You've got all the opportunity in the world
Bruce Djite:always think long. If something bad's happen it's not that bad. Have you been to Indonesia? Yeah. If you disable in Indonesia, you're in real trouble. She disabled in Cote d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, you're in real trouble. Yeah, she had disabled here. Of course. It's, it's, it's not the same as being able bodied. You know what? The hot the school will build a ramp for, as you know, make sure there's no elevator. Like, it's not that bad. If If, if you've whatever the circumstances are, you know, there's a safety net, there's, there's there's a lot of help. So empathy wise. That's the gap. Yeah. Whereas my wife, Lauren said, like, I'm not empathetic. And I'm like I am. But I've just got a broader view.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. A greater lived experience.
Bruce Djite:And that's why I never feel like always feel really lucky. Yeah, I personally, always feel super lucky.
Daniel Franco:Well, what is one thing that you're most proud of then?
Bruce Djite:My kids? Yeah, I know they're only five and almost four. But I really think they'll achieve a lot. Yeah, I got a lot one of those dads that's like, Oh, you got to be the next body president of I'm just saying like, they've got a really good so far nation's important incumbent on myself and my wife, obviously to continue fostering this, but they've got a will to win or will to work hard. They're really kind you know, that. They're just good humans. Yeah. And on a on a 13 and 14, they can rebel and they can turn they can become Gremlins, and all this sort of stuff. But I mean, I'm hoping that if I keep on top of this parenting thing, yeah. And that's why it's so important to be present. Right? Yeah. That's why I try to balance the week. You know, it's number one is the family are the thing they'll know. I've got a bright future ahead. I
Daniel Franco:do. I do. Like the idea of them getting in a little bit of trouble, though. Just to touch the band aid.
Bruce Djite:They will, but I know they're in trouble.
Daniel Franco:That's right.
Bruce Djite:That's all I care about. Yeah. It's like, you're in trouble. Yeah.
Daniel Franco:My daughter. My daughter came home a couple of weeks ago. We got an email from the teacher she went to she went to the toilet and and she was in in there for too long with one of her friends. And they were turning on all the taps running around splashing water. Yeah. And I think, you know, for me, she came home crying. She knew she was that's it. That's all he knew. She thought she was going to get into legal trouble. But for me, it was a bit of a chuckle. But I did you know, say that? Is that the right thing? I think someone's gonna clean that up now. You know, so we we told her a lesson. Yeah. And she won't do it again, but I'm not gonna, you know, smash. Yeah, exactly. So I like that though. Because it's curious for me. All kids are sort of scientists in their I think curious, they want to explore they want to try different things. I think we need to As parents, we need to Let them do that. And they express themselves in different ways. Absolutely. Yeah. It's pretty funny when they come over and do that. Okay, we're going to wrap up now we're at that time we're almost gonna go I just want to ask quick, a few quickfire questions just to round that off and finish up the what is something absurd that you love doing?
Bruce Djite:That's weird. Nothing really
Daniel Franco:nothing really. You pretty normal guy.
Bruce Djite:I'm relatively boring in that sense. I'm not like the guy that's like skateboarding through the car park or something. After hours on there.
Daniel Franco:Nothing absurd. absurd. Whichever closet nerd closet and it, would it we geek out about his, you know, you know, Star Wars fair or nothing like that.
Bruce Djite:I don't have time for that stuff.
Daniel Franco:Just straight in there.
Bruce Djite:Yeah, I'm very straight up and down.
Daniel Franco:And she pretty boring. Is it? Fun? Yeah, that's it. I'm very Cavalier scotches.
Bruce Djite:I'm very conventional. Very good individual.
Daniel Franco:What is a book, Ted Talk development program, whatever it is, what is something that you have recommended most to those who want to improve themselves?
Bruce Djite:There is a talk. I don't know. It's Simon Sinek
Daniel Franco:Simon Sinek. Start with why.
Bruce Djite:He does a few talks because he does a really good one. Yeah. But besides that, look, I've listened to some good TED talks and stuff. But
Daniel Franco:is there anything that you if you mentor somebody, anything, you know, he should go and listen to this? We should go and read that book. And I think that you offer the advice yourself? There's
Bruce Djite:some good really, there's really good Navy SEAL books. Yeah. And some really good Navy SEAL speeches on why Navy SEALs Yeah,
Daniel Franco:just Jocko Willink is one FYI. If you haven't got onto Jocko yet. Yeah, I'd recommend Yeah, you will love Joe's navy seals,
Bruce Djite:man. They impressed me so much. Yeah. Like I bought my son a Navy SEAL t shirt.
Daniel Franco:Oh, yeah. You know? Yeah. No,
Bruce Djite:I've never wanted to be a navy seal. But, like, I'm so appreciative of the ability of the human beings. Yeah, even just a qualified
Daniel Franco:torment that they put themselves through because
Bruce Djite:I could never do that. Same like, nurses.
Daniel Franco:No,
Bruce Djite:Like I'm so impressed with what the work that nurses do. Because I'm like, I could never do that. Now. The hours are really impressive. You know, what they do with the hours they put in the people that they deal with? It's pretty astounding.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. If you had a time machine or had access to a time machine, you could go anywhere Future Past wherever, where would you future future on 100 years? To see what 100,000
Bruce Djite:Yeah. The planet might be we had
Daniel Franco:extra degrees. Oh, anyway. Yeah, obviously.
Bruce Djite:But I'm living on Mars by then. And yeah, that's what I'm interested in. Yeah, what definitely is. Next one is now you know, I'm Interstellar is my favorite movie.
Daniel Franco:Yeah, it's a river. It is a river. I'm a bit bummed that I'm not gonna see. Like, if you think about, you know, Elon Musk, and where he wants to go with Mars and colonizing the universe and all that. And you just think, oh, we're probably gonna miss out on rule. Definitely. So
Bruce Djite:yeah. So yeah, I'm interested to see how the world looks in1 0,000 years,
Daniel Franco:it would be very interesting. If you had one superhero power to choose from, what would it be?
Bruce Djite:superhero power? always thought to be cool to fly. read other people's minds probablyl not a good idea.
Daniel Franco:hard enough reading your own.
Bruce Djite:I'll keep it simple. It'd be it'd be a good ability to be able to fly. It would be pretty good. Yeah. It's a superpower. We could help people. That'd be pretty cool, too.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. Yeah. I can super smart would be good. Would it be? Well think cuz you could just learn how to fly.
Bruce Djite:Very quickly about the physics.
Daniel Franco:You get this? I'm sure you could design something. And last one, because you said you didn't have a dad joke. Unless you thought one. No, no, we I'll throw a different one in there then. If you could put a message on a billboard in the middle of New York. Madison Square gardens and what would you What would you say? What would you say?
Bruce Djite:What would it say? Be kind be good. Be kind be good. Brilliant. be your best self. If everyone did that, but have no problems. Yeah. Awesome. would I do that?
Daniel Franco:Yeah. It's a tough one. There's a lot of people who think that the center of that their own universe, I guess, and
Bruce Djite:comes back to the perspective, or lack thereof
Daniel Franco:or experience that he said. So, Bruce has been absolutely amazing having you on. Thank you very much for your time. It's been a brilliant chat. Where Where can we find you? What like your LinkedIn is, you easily contactable, do you want to not be contacted? You said you mentioned he mentioned before your your phone went ding ding ding Google.
Bruce Djite:Look I'm on LinkedIn obviously. Yeah,
Daniel Franco:we'll catch you on the media.
Bruce Djite:Twitter, Instagram. I'm quite conventional again. Yeah. craziness going on in my social media platforms. But what I'm not on is Facebook. I've been on that for a long time. But um, Twitter and LinkedIn Instagram are at the beautiful clubs easy to find.
Daniel Franco:Yeah. Please, thank you very much. We'll catch you soon. Thank you. Cheers, guys. Bye.
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